Queen Genevieve's marriage
by LavernaG
Summary: What if Princess Anneliese made it out of the mine but didn't make it to the wedding? What if Queen Genevieve married Preminger?
1. The Wedding

**What if Princess Annaliese made it out of the mine but didn't make it to the wedding? What if Queen Genevieve married Preminger?**

It was the wedding day. (You all know what happened before.) Queen Genevieve was standing next to Preminger and was asked, "Do you, my Queen, take this man to be your husband?"

"I... I..." the Queen hesitated. "I... I do."

A sly smile came to Preminger's face. "Perfect, my dear," he whispered.

"You may kiss the bride."

"What?" the Queen was shocked.

"Come on, it won't hurt," Preminger persuaded.

"It's only for my kingdom," Genevieve thought.

She leaned closer to Preminger and reluctantly let Preminger kiss her. Then, with the back of her hand, she wiped her lips. "Ew!" she thought.

The rest of the wedding passed quickly. No one noticed how sad the Queen was for the whole time.

After the wedding, there was a ceremony to crown Preminger the King. Genevieve tried to blink away tears as she thought about her former husband. The crown reminded her of him. But when the crown dropped on Preminger's head, all the memories disappeared.

After the two celebrations, the Queen and the King walked to the Queen's room.

"Where do you think you are going?" Genevieve asked as Preminger was going to step into her room.

"Well, we're married now. It would be natural if we'd sleep in the same room," Preminger answered.

"You are not sleeping in the same room with me!" Genevieve said firmly and shut the door.

"She'll change her mind," Preminger mumbled as he walked away.

Genevieve walked to a nightstand and put her crown on it. She sat on her bed and took a picture from the nightstand. A sparkling tear rolled down her cheek. Genevieve looked at the family picture. There was her former husband standing next to her and they held a beautiful baby girl, Annaliese.

Genevieve's heart was crushed. Everyone she loved had died. At least her kingdom was now saved.

"I'm so sorry. I never wanted this to happen," she whispered and kissed her former husband on the picture.

Everyone who walked past the Queen's room that night heard quiet crying for the Queen cried all night long.


	2. Morning and Mine

When the Queen woke up in the morning, tears still filled her eyes. She wiped them away, got dressed and went to the dining room for breakfast.

When she walked into the room, sorrow filled her heart again.

"Good morning, my dear," Preminger said.

Genevieve didn't answer. She sat on her chair and started to eat.

"Are you feeling well, Your Highness?" Preminger asked. "You seem to be a bit..."

Just then, the door opened and a servant stepped in.

"Your Highness. I am sorry to interrupt, but the workers have found something in the mine."

Genevieve dropped her tea cup and stood up. "Get my carriage ready," she ordered.

"Where are you going?" Preminger asked as the Queen hurried out of the room.

"To the Royal Mine of course! Anneliese may still be there," Genevieve answered and hastened out of the room.

Preminger stood up and followed the Queen.

* * *

The carriage stopped in the front of the Royal Mine. Genevieve hurried out.

"Your Highness," a miner bowed before the Queen.

"Good morning," Genevieve greeted him. "What did you find?"

The miner led Genevieve into the mine, to a place where they were mining.

Genevieve gasped.

There, between a few heavy rocks, was a stripe of light pink cloth. Genevieve held it in her hand. It was from Annaliese's dress.

"Keep mining. She has to be somewhere in here," she said before beginning to cry again.

"It's alright. They'll find her," Preminger comforted his wife.

Genevieve was shocked at what she heard. Preminger had recently shown himself so selfish and indifferent.

"Maybe he is not that bad after all," she thought.


	3. Changing feelings

Preminger and Genevieve went back to the castle. The Queen was still weeping when she got back. She went to her room and shut the door.

Genevieve sat on her bed and tried to stop crying but she only got sadder. What she didn't know, was that Preminger was standing behind her door and heard her crying.

After almost half an hour, he knocked on the door. "May I come in, Your Highness?" he asked.

The Queen sighed. "Yes," she answered quietly.

Preminger stepped into the room and walked to the Queen.

"Are you alright?" he asked.

Genevieve didn't answer, she was still crying.

Preminger put his hand on her shoulder. "Don't worry. They'll find your daughter," he said. He sounded unusually kind.

For a few hours Preminger and Genevieve talked. The Queen's sadness was almost gone.

Being with Preminger made her a bit uncomfortable but she felt she somewhat liked the way Preminger comforted her.

The day passed quickly, and soon it was time to go to bed.

Preminger stood up. "Good night, my Queen," he said and walked to the door.

"Preminger, wait," Genevieve said.

Her husband turned around.

"Would you like to..." she hesitated for a moment "... Sleep with me tonight?"

Preminger smiled and walked back to her.

"What ever changed your mind?" he asked.

"I..." the Queen looked down.

"You don't need to answer."

The Queen didn't want to answer. Even she wasn't sure, why she had asked him to stay.

She thought that maybe she needed someone to be with. Someone to trust. She wasn't sure that Preminger was the best person for it. "I have to trust him," she told herself. "He is my husband now."

* * *

"Good night, my dear," Preminger said, when he slipped into the bed.

Genevieve lied down in the bed.

"Don't get any ideas," she warned Preminger.

"Don't worry," Preminger said. "I won't even touch you."

It was true. Preminger stayed away from the Queen.

Genevieve was a little scared at first, but when Preminger fell asleep, she calmed and closed her eyes.

The next moment, she was asleep.


	4. Visit

**I thought you'd need to know. Dominic went back to his kingdom. Julian and Anneliese got out of the mine but they got lost in a huge forest. Erika was taken to the dungeon.**

* * *

When Genevieve woke up in the morning, Preminger was still sleeping.

The Queen slipped out of the bed and headed for the bathroom.

After a few minutes, she came out. She was dressed and her hair was in its usual bun.

"A King never sleeps so long," Genevieve huffed as she looked at Preminger.

Then suddenly she felt something warm touch her heart. It was something she usually felt when she was near her daughter, Anneliese. It was very unusual to feel it near Preminger.

There was something about Preminger that Genevieve really liked.

She gazed kindly at Preminger for a few minutes. There was actually a smile on Genevieve's face.

"What am I doing?" she woke up from her thoughts. "I can't possibly like him. That man is selfish and egoistic," Genevieve told herself. Yet she somewhat knew she was wrong.

* * *

After the breakfast, the Queen headed to the dungeon.

"Erika?" she asked, standing in front of one cage.

The girl stood up and walked to the Queen. She stopped before the bars and bowed.

"Your Highness," she greeted the Queen.

"I came to know more about what happened to my daughter," Genevieve said, not even trying to sound polite.

She opened the jail door. "Come, tell me."

"What am I supposed to tell you?" Erika asked when she walked out the door. "I didn't do anything."

"Then who did? How do you explain that you pretended to be the Princess?" Genevieve asked when they walked out of the dungeon. She thought Erika could use some fresh air.

"I only tried to help," Erika explained. "Julian asked me to pretend to be the Princess, so her wedding to King Dominic wouldn't be canceled. He was sure it was Preminger who kidnapped the Princess."

"Preminger?" the Queen was surprised. "I don't believe it."

"Of course you don't."

Genevieve looked at her, surprised.

"You're married to the man you love and now you can't blame him for anything!'' Erika said angrily.

"I didn't marry Preminger because I loved him!" Genevieve raised her voice a little more than she had meant.

"What?" Erika was confused. "Then why did you?"

Genevieve looked down and sighed. "It was the only was to save my kingdom."

"You mean he paid you?"

The Queen nodded slightly.

"Oh. I'm sorry. I didn't know," Erika apologized.

"It's alright," Genevieve blinked away tears.

"Tell me, why did Julian think it was Preminger?" she asked, trying to hide her sadness.

She had just started to trust Preminger. But now...

* * *

"Thank you, Erika," Genevieve said after Erika told her everything.

"I'll come to visit you again tomorrow." She closed the jail door.

"I'll be waiting," Erika said and sat down. She smiled to the Queen who walked away.

"I can't believe it was Preminger," Genevieve thought as she walked into the castle.

"I was just starting to like him... No!" she stopped herself. "I do not like him!" she told herself but somewhere in her heart she knew that she did like him.

"It's so complicated," she thought.


	5. Not good

The Queen walked into the castle and met Preminger.

"Are you coming to dinner, my dear?" Preminger asked, not even noticing his wife's thoughtful face.

Genevieve nodded and the couple went to the dining room.

They sat at a table.

"You are very quiet," Preminger noticed.

"I was just thinking," Genevieve said, "About Erika, the girl who pretended to be the Princess. I talked with her today and she said she didn't do anything to her. She said that you are behind this."

"Surely you don't believe her story," Preminger said. "Why would I do that?"

"She said that..." the Queen stopped. Suddenly she felt very dizzy.

"Are you alright, my dear?" Preminger asked, noticing how pale the Queen was.

"My head..." Genevieve dropped her glass and took hold of her head.

"You're not feeling well are you?" Preminger said, trying to hide a smirk. "Maybe it's because of the poison in your glass."

"Poison?" Genevieve managed to say.

"Preminger. Did you... Ah!" The Queen felt terrible pain inside her head. "...do..." She fell to the ground. "...it?"

Genevieve closed her eyes.

"Yes. Like you didn't see it coming," Preminger walked to the faint Queen.

"What a gullible girl." He stroke Genevieve's head. "Don't worry, I'll take care of your kingdom."

Just then, a servant opened the door.

"Queen Genevieve!" He rushed to the Queen.

Preminger made a worried face.

"She just fainted in the middle of eating," he said.

"I must get her to a doctor," the servant said and lifted the Queen off the ground.

He hurried out of the room with the Queen.

"Silly boy. Nothing can help her now. She has taken too much of my poison," Preminger thought wickedly.


	6. Free

When Preminger woke up next morning, he was in a very good mood.

He stood in front of a mirror and said, "Imagine. In only a few days, I will be the only ruler of this kingdom."

There was a knock on the door, and a servant stepped in.

"Your Majesty, I came to tell you that the Queen is recovering," he said. "She is going to wake up soon."

"What?" Preminger exclaimed. "That's impossible!"

The servant looked at him, confused.

"Eh... That's good news," Preminger said. "I'll come to meet her."

The servant bowed, and left the room.

"How did she survive?" Preminger thought angrily. "That poison should have killed her."

He took a small bottle of poison from a drawer and headed to the room where Genevieve was staying.

* * *

Erika sat in the dungeon, waiting for the Queen.

"Do you know, where the Queen is?" she asked from a guard. "She promised to visit me today."

"Haven't you heard?" the guard asked. "The Queen is sick. She is unconscious."

"What?" Erika was surprised. "I need to see her."

"You are not leaving this dungeon."

"But I have to see the Queen."

"I said no!" the guard shouted.

"If you won't let me out, the Queen will remove you from your job," Erika said.

The guard was scared. "Lose my job?" he thought.

"Okay. But only for a little while. And I'm watching you."

He freed Erika from the dungeon. As soon as Erika got out, she pushed the guard away. He fell against the wall and hurt his head. The next moment he was unconscious.

Erika rushed out of the dungeon as fast as she could. She headed for the Queen's room.


	7. Not a chance to live

Preminger entered the room where the Queen was staying. Genevieve lay on the bed.

Preminger walked to her, and the Queen opened her eyes.

"Hello, dear," Preminger said.

"Preminger?" Genevieve sounded weak. "What did you do?"

"Oh, I just added something to your drink," he answered, and took out a bottle of poison.

"What is it?" the Queen asked, terrified.

"Only poison," Preminger said with a smirk. "Unfortunately, you didn't take enough of it to die."

He opened the bottle.

"But now you'll get enough."

"No, Preminger," Genevieve begged. "Please, don't."

But Preminger didn't listen to her. With one hand, he held the Queen still, and with the other one, he poured the poison into Genevieve's mouth.

The Queen tried to move away, but Preminger held her still.

Genevieve swallowed, and the poison was gone.

"That's a good girl." Preminger let go of her.

"You'll never get away with this," the Queen said.

"Oh, I already have," Preminger said. "Goodbye, my dear. I'll see you on your funeral."

He walked out of the room contentedly.

* * *

Erika saw Preminger leave the Queen's room. She hurried in there to see the Queen.

"Your Highness!" Erika saw the Queen laying on her bed, and ran to her.

"Are you alright?"

"Erika?" Genevieve's voice was so quiet, Erika could hardly hear it.

"It was Preminger," the Queen whispered.

"What?"

"He poisoned me..." Genevieve's eyes closed.


	8. Back

"Queen Genevieve?" Erika asked worriedly. "Queen Genevieve!"

The Queen lay still.

A sparkling tear rolled down Erika's cheek.

She wiped it away, and walked out of the room hurriedly.

She headed the way she had seen Preminger go.

She entered the throne room. From another door an identical girl looked at her.

"Princess Anneliese!"

"Erika!"

The girls ran to each other.

"What happened?" Erika asked, noticing that the Princess's dress was torn.

"It was Preminger. He tried to kill me and Julian," Anneliese answered. "What's wrong?" she asked, noticing the sorrow in Erika's eyes.

"It's your mother. She's in terrible danger," Erika said. "Preminger poisoned her. She's barely alive."

"What?" Anneliese was scared. "Can you take me to her?"

"Yes. Come on."

The girls rushed out of the throne room.

"Where is Julian, anyway?" Erika asked as she ran towards the Queen's room.

"Two guards captured him. I'll go and free him later," the Princess answered.

They stopped in front of two guards.

"Go and get Preminger," Anneliese ordered.

"King Preminger," Erika added.

"He tried to kill the Queen."

The guards didn't need any more explanations. They hurried to find the King.

The girls continued their way to the Queen's room.

Erika opened the door, and the girls went in.

"Mother!" Anneliese cried and rushed to Genevieve.

The Queen was barely breathing.

"No, it can't be," Anneliese cried.

Tears rolled down the Princess's cheeks.

Erika stood next to the door, and tried not to remember how her mother had died.


	9. Worth a try

"Is there any way to help her?" Erika asked as she stepped closer to the Princess.

Anneliese wiped her tears away.

"Julian has taught me a lot about poisons," she said. "There is one thing that can cure every poison."

"What is it?" Erika asked hopefully.

"_Rosa centifolia._" Anneliese answered.

"Where are we going to get one?" Erika worried.

"It's my favourite flower. I have plenty of them in my room," the Princess said.

"I'll go and get it." Erika ran to the door. "You keep an eye on the Queen."

And just like that, she was gone.

Anneliese looked at her mother. She lay still. She had a doleful look on her face. She didn't even seem to be alive anymore.

* * *

Erika ran and ran. She didn't even stop to help the guards hold on to Preminger.

She made it to the Princess's room and looked around. There were so many roses!

"Are they all _rosa centifolias?_" Erika wondered.

She picked one of the roses and hurried back to the Queen.

"I hope it's the right one," she thought.

* * *

Anneliese was still sitting next to her mother when Erika rushed in.

"I think I've got it," she said, and walked quickly to the Princess and the Queen.

"Thank you," Anneliese said, and Erika handed the rose to her.

The Princess took two petals from the flower and put them into her mother's mouth.

"Please let this work," both of the girls thought.


	10. Good and bad news

Nothing seemed to happen. The Queen was still motionless.

The girls lowered their heads and closed their eyes.

All the hope was gone.

"Anneliese?" a quiet voice came.

The Princess looked at her mother. The Queen had opened her eyes.

"Mother!" Anneliese embraced her mother happily. "You're alive!"

"So are you!" Genevieve said. "I thought I lost you."

Erika looked happily at the family. It was so good to see them together again.

When the royals let go of each other, a guard stepped into the room.

"I'm terribly sorry, Your Highnesses, but Preminger escaped," he said.

"Oh no," the Queen whispered.

"Thank you. You may go now," the Princess said.

The guard bowed and left the room.

"What's wrong?" Erika asked from the Queen. Genevieve had a worried look.

"Without Preminger's agreement I can't get a divorcement," the Queen said and looked at her wedding ring.

"We'll find him," Anneliese assured her.

But the Queen didn't think so.


	11. A little change

**From now on, everything went on like in the movie. (somehow)**

**Erika went on her travels to sing to the world.**

**Anneliese and Julian started planning their wedding.**

**And the Queen... Well, the Queen didn't change.**

Genevieve was very happy for her daughter and Erika. But she was very concerned about her own marriage.

She wished she had never accepted it.

Genevieve sent out many search parties to find Preminger. But the man was gone, nobody could find him.

With every day the Queen got more and more worried.

* * *

One day, the Queen got an invitation to King Dominic's kingdom.

Genevieve knew she had to apologize for her daughter not marrying him.

"I'll come with you," Princess Anneliese said. "I'm the one who has to apologize. Besides, I haven't even met him yet."

The next morning, the Queen and the Princess started their travel to Dulcinea (King Dominic's kingdom).

"What's wrong, Mother?" Anneliese asked, noticing her mother's thoughtful face.

"What?" Genevieve woke up from her thoughts. "Oh, nothing. I was just thinking..."

"Is your marriage still bothering you?" Anneliese asked worriedly.

"I just can't take my mind off the thought that I'm actually married to _him_." Genevieve complained.

Just then, their carriage stopped in front of King Dominic's castle.

The royals walked into the castle.

"Welcome, Queen Genevieve and Princess Anneliese," a servant greeted them. "The King is expecting you in the throne room."

He led Genevieve and Anneliese to the throne room.

"Thank you," Genevieve said.

The servant bowed and left.

Genevieve and Anneliese stepped into a beautiful large room.

They both bowed before the King. "Your Highness."

Dominic nodded back. "Welcome, my ladies."

"So, you said in your invitation that there's something you wanted to discuss with me," Genevieve started.

"Yes, we'll get to that," Dominic said. "But first, I'd like you to meet my new advisor, Preminger."

A short man walked into the room.

"Hello, my dear," Preminger said to Genevieve.


	12. Argue

Queen Genevieve looked at her husband, surprised.

"Preminger?" she manged to say. "What... What are you doing here?"

"Didn't you hear, my dear? I'm working here. For now," Preminger answered. He enjoyed the look on Genevieve's face. She was shocked and scared.

"But..." Genevieve didn't know what to say. She just stood there in shock.

Anneliese saw her mother's helplessness and tried to change the subject.

"What was it you wanted to discuss with us?" she asked from the King.

"It is about Preminger," Dominic said. "I heard that he is wanted in your kingdom. And I have to know why."

"He..." Anneliese was cut off by her mother.

"Before we can tell you, I need to talk with Preminger," the Queen said. "Alone."

Dominic nodded, and the Queen and Preminger left the room.

"What is it you wanted to talk about?" Preminger asked when they were alone in another room.

"What you have done is inexcusable," Genevieve said angrily.

"What did I do?" Preminger asked innocently. "You're still alive."

"No thanks to you."

Genevieve glared furiously at her husband.

"I..." Genevieve hesitated, but even she didn't know why she did it. "I want a divorcement."

"You want? But what if I won't agree?"

"You will. You've got to."

"I don't got to," Preminger said with a smirk. "And you can't make me."

"I can..." Genevieve stopped.

Preminger was right. She had no way to convince Preminger to divorce.

The Queen sighed. "What do you want?" Genevieve surrendered.

"Me? Isn't it obvious?" Preminger said. "I want to go back to your kingdom with you. And stay King."

"What can I do to change your desire?"

"Nothing. I will not change my mind."

Preminger loved to see his wife so desperate.

"I..." Genevieve stopped again. She turned away. She didn't want to show her helplessness to Preminger.

But Preminger knew, Genevieve was under his total control.


	13. Going to her room

Genevieve went back to the throne room, followed by her husband.

"Well?" Anneliese asked hopefully.

Then she noticed a tear in her mother's eye.

"What's wrong?" she asked worriedly.

Genevieve wiped her tear away.

"Nothing," she said, trying to sound okay.

Preminger said something quietly to the King.

Dominic looked out of the window and said, "It's getting late. You can stay in the castle tonight."

"Thank you," Anneliese said.

"Preminger will take you to your room," Dominic said, and Preminger walked to the women.

"This way, my ladies," he said.

Genevieve and Anneliese bowed before King Dominic, and followed Preminger out of the room.

* * *

Preminger led the Queen and the Princess into the guest room.

Anneliese stepped into the room, and Genevieve quickly shut the door.

"Preminger, please," Genevieve begged her husband. "I don't want to be your wife. Please reconsider."

"And why would I do that?" Preminger said. "Right now, I have everything I need. I'm a rich King. And I have a beautiful wife."

Genevieve couldn't keep herself from blushing. Preminger saw it.

"And I see you're still wearing my ring," he added.

Genevieve looked at her hand. A shining golden ring was around her finger.

She stretched quickly to pull it off, but stopped. Something in her mind told her to keep the ring. Genevieve tried to pull the ring off her finger but she couldn't.

It was not about the ring, it was perfect-shaped. She just somehow felt she can't do it.

Genevieve slowly lowered her hands.

She let out a disappointed sigh.

"I can't do it," she whispered.

Preminger liked the way the Queen was fighting with herself.

"I..." Genevieve felt her eyes filling with tears. "I have to go."

The Queen rushed into her room, and shut the door.

"What happened?" Anneliese asked when she saw her crying mother.

"Nothing. I just..." Genevieve sobbed. "I just can't decide what to do. Preminger will not agree to divorce."

She buried her face in her hands.

"And I can't force him."

Anneliese listened worriedly.

"And the worst part is..." Genevieve pulled herself together. "I think I am starting to like him."

She said it like it was the worst thing that could happen. And it was. For her.


	14. You like him?

"What?" Anneliese was shocked. "You like him? Even after all he did?"

"It's complicated," Genevieve sobbed.

"But how did you..."

"Please, don't ask. It only makes things worse."

Genevieve walked away from her daughter, and sat on her bed.

"I'm sorry," Anneliese apologized. "I didn't mean to make it worse."

Genevieve sighed. "It's okay," she said. "I'm sorry, I'm just so confused. And I don't know what to do."

"I don't think you should trust Preminger."

"I don't," Genevieve said. "That's just it. I know he is dangerous and evil. But..." Genevieve sighed. "I don't know how to explain it. He doesn't seem the same Preminger as he was anymore."

"Well, you know best," Anneliese said. "But just, please, be careful. Nothing's safe around Preminger."

With these words, she left the Queen.

"Why does it have to be so hard?" Genevieve said through tears.

She lay down on her bed, and fell asleep.

When Anneliese came back, she saw her sleeping mother. Her face was wet with tears.

Anneliese walked to her mother, and laid a blanket on her.

"Poor mother," Anneliese thought. "She's so depressed."

Then the Princess went to bed. But she was very worried about her mother.


	15. Trouble with eating

_Genevieve and Preminger stood on a balcony, watching sunset._

_Suddenly, Preminger pulled the Queen closer, and turned her to face him._

_The Queen looked at her husband, scared._

_Without a word, Preminger kissed her._

_Genevieve struggled in Preminger's arms, but the man held her tight and she couldn't get out._

Genevieve woke up, panting.

"It was only a dream," she calmed herself. "It was just a dream."

"Are you okay?" Anneliese asked from another bed.

"Of course," the Queen said. "I was just dreaming."

"Are you sure? You look very pale."

Genevieve's face was white like snow.

"I'm fine," she said and went out of the bed.

It was early in the morning and the first sunbeams peeked into the room.

* * *

An hour later, there was a knock on their door. A servant stepped in.

"Your Highnesses, the breakfast is ready. Your presence is welcomed in the dining room."

"Thank you," Anneliese said. "Please, lead the way."

The servant led the Queen and the Princess into the dining room. He bowed and left.

"Welcome, my ladies," King Dominic greeted the Queen and the Princess when they walked into the dining room.

"Good morning, Your Majesty," the women said in unison and sat down.

"Preminger told me something very interesting today," Dominic said. "He said that you are married."

Genevieve dropped her teaspoon, surprised.

"I've already resigned as King Dominic's advisor," Preminger said. "To go back to our kingdom, and regain my place as the King."

"What?" Genevieve exclaimed.

She bit her lip.

"I mean..." she said. "That's good news."

Everyone remained silent, and started to eat. Everyone but Genevieve.

She wanted to eat, but she couldn't. Every time, she raised her fork, she felt dizzy again. She felt like Preminger was poisoning her again.

The others noticed the Queen didn't eat anything. Before anyone could say anything, Genevieve excused herself and went out of the room.

Genevieve leaned against the wall, and took a deep breath.

"Are you alright, my dear?" Preminger asked.

Genevieve turned around in surprise, and saw her husband.

"Of course I am."

"It didn't seem like that," Preminger said. "Are you afraid of getting poisoned again?"

Genevieve nodded slightly.

"You don't have to be. I would never do it again," Preminger said.

Genevieve looked at him, confused.

"If I'd return to your kingdom without you, I'd be thrown in a dungeon," Preminger explained. "But if I return with you, I can become a King again."

"Is that all you care about? Being a King?" Genevieve asked furiously, and rushed out of the room.

"Not really," Preminger said, but the Queen had already left.


	16. Strange feelings

The Queen went back to her room, and sat down.

"Why did I shout at him?" Genevieve wondered. "I know he only cares about being a King, but..."

Just then, her daughter came into the room.

"I brought your breakfast, Mother," Anneliese said.

"Thank you," Genevieve said quietly.

"Are you okay?" the Princess asked worriedly, noticing her mother's sad mood.

Genevieve sighed. "No, I'm not."

Anneliese sat next to her. "What's wrong?"

"It's Preminger," Genevieve said. "I'm afraid I'm starting to like him. But how is it possible? He tried to kill us both, and he only cares about being a King."

Anneliese listened carefully.

"I can't even eat when he's around. It makes me feel like he is poisoning me again."

"But then, how can you tell you like him?"

"I feel it somehow."

Genevieve wasn't going to mention that she had been dreaming about Preminger.

"And I feel shy when he is around," Genevieve continued. "And I can't argue with him. He makes me surrender. You know?"

"Not exactly," Anneliese said insecurely. "I don't, really, understand your feelings."

She stood up.

"But I'm sure you'll be alright. You just need a little rest."

"I guess so," Genevieve sighed. But she knew that a rest cannot help her.


	17. Going home

The Queen ate her breakfast, and said, "I think we should go home now."

"Is Preminger coming with us?" Anneliese asked.

"I'm afraid so," Genevieve said quietly. "Let's face it. I am destined to be with him."

She wiped her tear away, and left the room.

Anneliese sighed. "Poor Mother. Without a change, this "love" will soon kill her."

Then, she followed her mother out of the room.

* * *

Their carriage was waiting in front of the castle.

"It was wonderful meeting you," Dominic said to the Princess and the Queen.

"You too," Anneliese replied.

"Goodbye, Your Majesty," Genevieve said, and stepped into the carriage.

Anneliese and Preminger followed her.

The King waved them goodbye and the carriage drove off.

The carriage drove normally until it gravitated and stopped.

A few seconds later, the coachman opened the carriage door.

"I'm very sorry, Your Majesties, but we broke a wheel," he said. "It will take me some time to fix it, so we will be stopping."

"It's okay. I just hope we'll be back before the night falls," Genevieve said.

The coachman went to fix the wheel.

"Mother, since we have some free time, can I, please, go and explore the forest?" Anneliese asked.

"Of course, my darling. Why would you even ask?" Genevieve answered, and the royals went out of the carriage.

They had stopped on a cliff and only a few steps away grew a beautiful forest.

Anneliese ran happily into the woods.

Genevieve walked thoughtfully to the edge of the cliff.

It was a beautiful view from up there.

Something under her feet made her slip, and the Queen fell off the cliff.

Preminger hurried to the edge. Looking down, he saw Genevieve desperately holding on to the cliff.

"Preminger. Please, help me!" Genevieve cried.


	18. Help!

"Help me!" Genevieve cried.

Preminger just stood there, thinking.

"Please," Genevieve begged.

She felt her arms tire. With one hand, she let go of the cliff.

"Please, Preminger, please." Genevieve begged, tears rolling down her face. "I love you."

Her other hand let go of the cliff...

Suddenly, a strong man's hand grabbed her hand.

Preminger stretched out to Genevieve and pulled her up.

The Queen sat on the ground, panting. Preminger sat next to her.

For a few minutes, Genevieve couldn't say anything.

"You saved me," Genevieve finally quietly said. "But why? I thought you wanted to rule alone."

"Well, I guess people change," Preminger said and started to get up.

"Preminger, wait," Genevieve took her husband's hand.

Preminger sat down again.

Genevieve looked in his eyes and said sincerely, "Thank you."

"You're welcome," Preminger replied.

Genevieve smiled, and wrapped her arms around her husband.

Preminger took hold of the Queen and kissed her gently.

Genevieve relaxed in his arms.

She let go of her fears, and her heart filled with love.

Anneliese walked out of the forest.

"Mother, this forest is..."

She fell silent.

Anneliese saw the couple, but they didn't see her.

The Princess stood still for a moment. She was very surprised at her mother's reaction.

Anneliese had always been sure that if Preminger would try to even get near Genevieve, the Queen would struggle out of his arms or slap him.

But the Queen was very calm. She seemed to rest in Preminger's grasp.

Anneliese slowly stepped backwards and into the forest.

She left the lovers alone.


	19. Back home

When Preminger and Genevieve finally pulled back, they were both smiling warmly.

Preminger helped his wife up.

"The wheel is fixed. We should go now."

Genevieve nodded, and walked to the forest.

"Anneliese, darling! We are ready to go," she called her daughter.

A few moments later, the Princess came out of the woods.

She scowled when she passed her mother, and sat in the carriage.

Genevieve was a bit surprised at her daughter's mood, but she didn't pay too much attention to it.

The Queen and Preminger sat in the carriage, and the carriage started to move towards their castle.

Anneliese looked suspiciously at her mother.

Genevieve was in her best mood. Even though she sat there, in the carriage, her mind seemed to travel somewhere far, far away.

"Mother, what happened?" Anneliese asked pointing at her mother's torn dress.

Genevieve woke up from her thoughts. "What?"

"What happened?" Anneliese asked patiently.

"What do you mean?" Genevieve asked in confusion.

Then, she took a look at her dress.

"Oh, my gown!" Genevieve exclaimed.

She had not noticed it before, but her dress was torn and dirty.

Genevieve turned to her daughter, who was patiently waiting for an answer.

"I fell off the cliff," the Queen said.

Anneliese gasped.

"But it's alright. Preminger saved me," Genevieve said and looked at her husband thankfully.

"He did?" Anneliese was surprised.

"But I thought you wanted to..." Anneliese said to Preminger, but stopped.

She saw how happy her mother was, and she didn't want to ruin her good mood.

"Nevermind," the Princess sighed.

* * *

Their carriage stopped in front of the castle, and Anneliese walked out.

"Welcome back, my dear," Julian greeted her.

"Your Highness," he bowed before the Queen.

Preminger was the last to step out of the carriage.

"Preminger," Julian was surprised.

Quickly, he took out a sword to protect the Princess and the Queen.

"No, no, it's okay," Genevieve hurried to explain. "He's not an enemy anymore."

Julian looked at her in confusion, and then at Anneliese.

The Princess nodded slightly, and Julian lowered his sword.

"I don't understand, Your Highness. He tried to kill all of us," he said.

"That's true. But he has changed," Genevieve looked caringly at her husband. "He saved my life."

Preminger walked to her.

"I understand you don't like me, Julian," Preminger said. "But I'm afraid you have to accept my presence now."

"I'm afraid so," Julian said, and walked into the castle with the Princess.

"He will accept you one day," Genevieve assured her husband.

"I don't think so," Preminger mumbled as he and the Queen walked into the castle.

* * *

"Are you going to sleep in my room tonight?" Genevieve asked when it was time to go to bed.

"Of course. How could I refuse?" Preminger answered.

When they lay in the bed, Preminger stroke Genevieve's head.

"Good night, my beautiful Queen," he whispered.

"Good night, my dear."


	20. Unexpected

At breakfast, Julian and the Princess both scowled at the couple.

Neither of them trusted Preminger.

The Queen noticed their discredit and said, "You have no reason to doubt Preminger. He is a very good man. And I expect you to see it, and accept his presence."

Preminger smiled. He liked the way his wife was protecting him.

"I'm sorry, Mother," Anneliese apologized. "I just don't see him the way you do."

"I know," Genevieve said. "But I hope it will change one day."

* * *

Some time later, the Queen was standing in the throne room, when the door opened.

"Ah, just who I wanted to see," Preminger said.

"Preminger, what is it?" Genevieve asked hopefully.

"Nothing important, really," Preminger answered, and pulled out a dagger.

Genevieve gasped.

"Preminger! What are you doing?" she asked in scare.

"Oh, don't mind me. I'll just make a slight cut," Preminger said, and started to walk towards the Queen menacingly.

"Stop! You're scaring me," Genevieve said as she backed away.

She backed until her back was against the wall.

The Queen had nowhere to go, and Preminger came closer and closer.

"No! You can't do this," Genevieve cried as she pressed herself against the wall.

A tear rolled down her cheek. "I thought you loved me."

"Never," Preminger said and raised his dagger.

He stroke.

The dagger cut into Genevieve's side.

"Aah!"

Genevieve fell on the ground and took hold of her side.

"Aha... ah." Genevieve wailed in pain.

"Why, Preminger? Why?" she cried through tears.

Her heart broke. She had loved this man, and trusted him.

"I don't need you anymore," Preminger said and raised his dagger to strike again.

The door opened...


	21. Fight

"Peter?" Preminger asked from the door.

The murderer turned to him.

"What are you doing here, brother?" Preminger asked.

Then he noticed the dying Queen.

"What have you done?!" Preminger shouted.

His twin smiled slyly.

"You're the next one," Peter said, and stepped a few steps forward his brother.

The frightened Queen looked at the men, terrified. Which one of them was Preminger?

Preminger backed away a few steps, but then stepped firmly to his brother.

The twins granted each other with hits and kicks until it was impossible to understand which one of them was Preminger and which Peter.

The brothers struggled until one of them held the other one on the ground and raised a dagger to attack him.

Preminger let go of the dagger.

"No, I won't do it," he said, and pulled his brother up off the ground.

Preminger held Peter's arms on his back, and took him out of the room, to a guard who took him to the dungeon.

Then, Preminger hurried back to the Queen.

He tried to take hold of her, but Genevieve pushed him away.

"How do I know it's really you?" she asked. Not suspiciously, but sadly.

Preminger lifted Genevieve's head closer to him and looked in her eyes lovingly.

"Because I love you," he said sincerely.

Preminger leaned closer to Genevieve, and kissed her passionately.

Genevieve tried to get away at first, but when their lips met, she calmed.

That was her husband.

When they finally pulled back, Preminger asked, "Do you believe me now?"

"I do," Genevieve smiled.

Then, she let out a small scream.

Her wound was awfully hurting her.

"Let me see," Preminger said and gently lifted the Queen's hands from the wound.

The Queen winced in pain.

Peter had made a deep cut and Genevieve's condition was very bad.

"It's going to be alright," Preminger assured her.

Carefully, Preminger lifted the bloody Queen off the ground, and walked to the doctor's room.

Genevieve looked at him lovingly and then closed her eyes.


	22. Critical

"Stay awake, my dear," Preminger said to the Queen as he walked into the doctor's room.

"What happened?" the Doctor asked when he saw the King and Queen.

"She was attacked. She needs help and quickly!" Preminger answered and laid the Queen on a couch.

The Doctor rushed to the Queen, and took a look at her wound.

"Please, Your Highness, I'm afraid you have to leave," the Doctor said to Preminger.

The King left the room worriedly.

* * *

Anneliese walked into the throne room.

"Mother! Are you in here?" she called in the empty room.

Then, she noticed a puddle of blood on the floor.

For a moment, the Princess stared at the puddle, scared.

The next moment she rushed out of the room calling her mother.

* * *

The Princess bumped into Preminger.

"Preminger? But I just saw a guard taking you to the dungeon," Anneliese said, confused.

Then, she noticed a bloodstain on Preminger's clothes.

"What did you do?" she asked with fright.

"It was not me," Preminger explained. "The man you saw was my twin brother. He attacked your mother. I took her to the doctor."

Preminger pointed at the doctor's room's door.

"Is she alright?" Anneliese asked worriedly.

A terrible scream came from the doctor's room...


	23. Not healing her

The Princess and Preminger rushed to the doctor's room.

The Doctor was no longer there, but the Queen was.

She writhed on the couch, holding her hands on her wound.

Next to her was a small empty bottle.

On the bottle was written, "Acid".

Preminger and Anneliese hurried to Genevieve.

"It was the Doctor," Genevieve said, crying and trying to hold back screaming.

"He put... Aah! ...acid on my wound," Genevieve managed to say.

"He what?" Anneliese exclaimed.

"I'll get you a new doctor," she added and quickly ran out of the door.

Preminger took Genevieve's hand supportively.

"You're going to be alright," he said quietly. "You're going to survive."

He wiped a tear from his wife's cheek.

Genevieve felt another strike of pain and was going to let out another scream, when Preminger put his finger on her lips.

"Ssh..." Preminger whispered. "You are a brave and strong woman, and you're going to make it."

Genevieve tried to calm and forget about the wound.

"Why does everyone want to kill me?" she sighed.

"They must know what a special person you are," Preminger said and leaned closer to the Queen. "And not only because of your crown."

He kissed Genevieve gently and the Queen forgot all of her pain.

She felt safe.

Until the door opened and they broke the kiss.

Anneliese came inside with a new doctor following.

They hadn't seen the kiss, but they noticed that the Queen was blushing slightly.

"Your Highness, I'm afraid you need to leave," the Doctor said to Preminger as he walked to the Queen.

"No. Please, let him stay," Genevieve said. "I need him."

"As you wish, Your Highness," the Doctor agreed. "And the Princess?"

"I can't look at this," Anneliese said and walked out of the room.

She headed to her room to tell Julian what had happened.


	24. No rest

After Julian heard about what happened, he hurried to see the Queen.

When he entered the room, Genevieve was asleep.

Her side was bandaged and she had a doleful look on her face.

She didn't seem to rest. Instead, she seemed to writhe in pain.

Preminger held her hand worriedly.

"Queen Genevieve!" Julian exclaimed and rushed to the Queen.

"Ssh...!" Preminger huffed. "She had a lot of trouble with falling asleep. She needs to rest."

"I'm sorry," Julian apologized. "Is she going to be alright?"

"The Doctor said she will be able to move tomorrow," Preminger answered. "But it will take some time for the wound to recover."

"That's good news. Sort of," Julian said.

"Have you had any luck on finding the previous Doctor? The one who tried to kill the Queen with acid?" Preminger asked, looking at his wife's sore face.

"Unfortunately not. He has disappeared," Julian replied. "The search parties have been sent out, but I'm not sure they'll find him."

The Queen turned a bit, then let out a small scream and turned back.

"Poor thing," Preminger said quietly. "She can't even rest when she's sleeping."

Genevieve began to sob.

"No... Please... Stop..." was all Preminger and Julian understood from her talk.

The Queen was dreaming.

_She saw Peter attacking her again. She_ _felt_ _the same pain._

_She saw_ _the_ _worried Preminger kneeling beside_ _her._

_The next thing she saw was the Doctor bowing over her with a bottle of acid._

_"No! Don't!" the Queen had shouted, but the Doctor poured the acid on her wound._

_The burning pain..._

Genevieve opened her eyes, panting.

Preminger looked worriedly at his scared wife.

"It's alright," he said, calming her. "There's nothing to be afraid of."

Genevieve took a deep breath.

"Oh Preminger..." she said feebly. "I'm so scared. A new attacker could be behind every corner and..."

"Don't be scared," Preminger said. "No one will harm you as long as I'm with you. I will not leave you."

Preminger stayed next to Genevieve the whole night and the Queen finally got to rest a little.


	25. Another threat

The next morning, Genevieve's tries to move were not quite successful.

She managed to take a few steps, but then collapsed back to the bed.

Her wound was still hurting her.

Preminger wanted to help her, but the Queen just said, "I'm okay. I can do it myself."

Genevieve stood up bravely and this time managed to stay up.

Arduously, she walked out of the room, and into the throne room.

Preminger left her to tell Anneliese that her mother is okay.

* * *

Genevieve looked around in the throne room.

Her blood was cleaned up and everything was back to normal.

A servant stepped in and told the Queen that breakfast was ready.

Then, he left the room, and Genevieve started walking towards the door.

From around a corner came out a man.

He had a dark cape, and his head was coated with a hood.

"Who are you?" Genevieve asked as she backed away, because the man came towards her.

"No one important. But you are," the man answered, and pushed the Queen against the wall.

"What are you do-?" Genevieve couldn't finish her question.

The man had put his hand on her neck, and was now strangling the Queen.

"Stop... Let me go..." Genevieve managed to say with the last air she had.

Genevieve couldn't breath.

With her last strength, she tried to struggle out of the man's grasp.

With his other hand, the man held the Queen still.

He pressed right on Genevieve's wound, which made the Queen scream.

* * *

Preminger, Princess Anneliese and Julian sat at the table.

"Where is Mother?" Anneliese wondered.

"I thought she was coming here," Preminger said.

"Maybe she..." Anneliese said, but stopped. "Listen!"

When they listened carefully, they could hear quiet screaming and then coughing.

The next moment, they were up on their feet, running towards the throne room.

* * *

When Preminger, Anneliese and Julian entered the throne room, the Queen was leaning against the wall, breathing arduously.

"What happened?" Anneliese asked as they hurried to the Queen.

"I... I don't know," Genevieve answered.

Everyone could hear how scared she was.

"A man just barged in and..." Genevieve said, panting. "He attacked me and..."

"And what?" Anneliese asked.

"He must have known about my wound. He pressed right on it," Genevieve said and took hold of her wound.

"Could it be the Doctor?" Julian suspected.

"Maybe," Genevieve said, and walked to Preminger. "I'm afraid to be alone right now. I need someone near me."

"Don't worry, my dear. I will not let anything happen to you again," Preminger said and embraced the Queen. "No one will harm you."


	26. At the ball

For a few days, everything was okay.

The Queen was recovering, and no one came to threat her again.

One evening, there was a big ball in the castle. Most of the kingdom's people were there.

The orchestra played different songs for dancing: waltzes, tangos, sambas.

As a tango started, Preminger bowed before Genevieve.

"May I have this dance?" he asked.

"I'm sorry, Preminger. Not tonight," Genevieve answered.

"Come on, my dear. You won't regret it," Preminger persuaded.

"Okay," Genevieve agreed, and walked onto the dance floor with Preminger.

They started twirling around in the room.

Everyone else stopped dancing, and looked admiringly at their King and Queen.

They all agreed that they had never seen anyone dance so beautifully.

Even though Preminger and Genevieve danced there, in front of everyone, their minds seemed to be somewhere far, far away. Together.

The dance seemed to flow right through them as they spun around in the ball room.

When the music ended, Preminger bowed and Genevieve curtsied.

Everyone in the room applauded happily.

* * *

When a waltz began, everyone in the ball room were dancing again.

Some of the people still peeked at the King and Queen.

"They're so beautiful," someone in the room said.

"They're so perfect together."

"They are so much in love."

All of it was true.

Genevieve and Preminger couldn't keep their eyes off each other.

They danced smoothly and gracefully.

* * *

There was only one person in the room who wasn't dancing.

It was a woman, who frowned at the beautiful couple.

She took a pearl from her necklace and dropped it on the floor.

The pearl rolled straight to the Queen.

Genevieve didn't notice anything, until she stepped on the pearl.

Genevieve stumbled.

She would have fallen on the floor if Preminger hadn't held her up.

The woman smirked and walked out of the room.

* * *

"Are you alright, my dear?" Preminger asked as he led his wife away from the dance floor.

"I'm okay. I must have stepped on something," Genevieve said. "Ow, my leg..."

Genevieve would have almost fallen again as she walked.

She sat down and said, "I'm sorry, Preminger, but I don't think I can dance any more tonight."

"It's alright. I am happy by just being with you," Preminger said and caressed the Queen's head.

"No, Preminger. You go and have fun," Genevieve protested. "I don't want to ruin your evening."

"You're not ruining it," Preminger said. "You're the one who makes this evening special."

He gently kissed the blushing Queen.

* * *

The time went on as everybody danced and Preminger and Genevieve sat next to each other, talking, laughing and enjoying each other's company.

* * *

Later that night, as Genevieve went to bed, she said to her husband, "I haven't had so much fun for a very long time. Thank you, my dear."


	27. Someone new and familiar

The next morning, the Queen was sitting in the throne room when someone knocked on the door.

"Come in!" Genevieve called and a woman came in.

The same woman who had been at the ball.

"How may I help you?" Genevieve asked.

"I've come to visit my ex-husband, Your Highness," the lady answered.

"And who is he?"

"His name is Preminger."

"What?" the Queen was surprised.

The door opened.

"Good morning, my dear," Preminger said as he walked into the room.

The woman turned around to look at him.

"Lilliana?" Now it was Preminger's turn to be surprised. "What are you doing here?"

"I heard you are married again," the woman, called Lilliana, replied. "To who?"

Preminger walked to Genevieve.

"The Queen? You're married to the Queen?" Lilliana was shocked. "So, King Preminger, did you marry her because of her crown? Like you married me for my richness."

"Of course not," Preminger said firmly. "I married her because I love her."

As assurance, he kissed Genevieve's cheek, which made the Queen blush.

Lilliana looked angrily at their action.

"Your Highness, may I speak with you? Alone," she asked.

The Queen got up and walked out of the room with Lilliana, and onto a small balcony.

"So, what is it?" Genevieve asked as they stopped.

"Your Majesty, you cannot trust that man," Lilliana said. "He is selfish and he does not care about you. He does not care about anyone but himself."

"My dear," Genevieve said. "I have been through enough to know how he feels for me."

Lilliana frowned at what she heard.

"I don't see him the way you do," the Queen added.

"You need to leave that man," Lilliana said as she walked towards the Queen.

"What do you mean?" Genevieve asked as she backed away. "What are you doing?"

Lilliana walked menacingly to her and said, "He is **my** husband."

She pushed the Queen halfway over the railing.

Genevieve quickly grabbed Lilliana's arm.

"Pull me back!" she cried, but Lilliana only tried to push her away.

Away from her and over the edge of the balcony.

"Lilliana!" Preminger shouted from behind her and pulled the woman away from there.

Quickly, he helped the Queen to stand up again on the balcony.

"What do you think you are doing?" Preminger asked angrily.

"I just..."

"It's alright," Genevieve cut her off. "I'm sure she will never do it again."

"I hope," she mumbled to herself.

Lilliana left the balcony. She didn't want to see the Queen with "her husband".

"Are you alright, my dear?" Preminger asked as he embraced the Queen.

"I'm fine," Genevieve said and blinked away tears. "I'm just a little scared. I can't imagine, what would have happened if you weren't here. Thank you, Preminger."


	28. Accidently on purpose

Later that day, Genevieve was just walking in the castle when she heard voices from the guest room.

She peeked in and what did she see?

Lilliana was there with the Doctor.

"Your job is well done," Lilliana said and gave the man a pouch.

It jingled so it must have been gold.

The Doctor took the pouch gladly.

"The Queen was pretty frightened," Lilliana added.

Genevieve gasped and took a few steps backwards.

She was going to escape, but Lilliana had heard her.

The woman rushed out of the room and saw the frightened Queen.

"It was you," Genevieve said, scared. "You ordered all these attacks?"

"So, you figured it out," Lilliana said.

"You'll be thrown in a dungeon for it," Genevieve said and was about to run away.

Quickly, Lilliana grabbed a huge vase from beside her and hit the Queen's head.

The vase broke into smithereens.

Genevieve fell on the floor.

"Queen Genevieve?" Lilliana asked, frightened. "Queen Genevieve!"

She tried to take hold of the faint Queen.

But she quickly pulled back and looked at her hands.

It was blood...

Lilliana's hands started trembling.

"No..." she whispered. "No, no, no, I didn't mean it that way."

Lilliana shook the Queen to wake her up.

"Please, Your Highness, wake up," she begged. "Please!"

The Queen lay motionless.

Lilliana got up in fear, and ran to the door.

* * *

"Do you know where the Queen might be?" Preminger asked from a servant.

"I'm sorry but no, Your Majesty," the servant answered and left the King.

"Preminger!" Lilliana exclaimed as she rushed into the room. "Queen Genevieve is in danger!"

"What?" Preminger exclaimed worriedly.

"Someone must have attacked her. She needs a doctor, quickly!" Lilliana said nervously.

"Where is she?"

Lilliana led Preminger to the Queen.

* * *

"Genevieve!" Preminger exclaimed and took hold of the Queen.

"Get the Doctor!" he ordered from Lilliana. "And quickly!"

Lilliana was already out the door.

"Oh, my dear Genevieve," Preminger whispered as he caressed his wife's head.

His hands got bloody but he didn't care about it.

"You'll be alright," he said and the (good) Doctor came in.

"Oh my..." the Doctor mumbled when he saw the Queen.

"I need to get her to my room. So I can check on her," he said.

Preminger lifted Genevieve off the ground, and carried her to the Doctor's room.

He laid the Queen on the couch.

Then he left the room as the Doctor ordered.

* * *

"So, what exactly happened?" Preminger asked Lilliana as they sat outside the Doctor's room.

"Well..." Lilliana hesitated. "The Queen will tell you. If she wakes up."

"Of course she will wake up," Preminger was sure.

"I do hope so," Lilliana agreed.


	29. Thankful to the wrong person

Preminger had a lot of trouble with falling asleep that night.

He was very worried about his wife.

After he was told that the Queen has woken up, he almost flew to the Doctor's room.

* * *

"Genevieve?" Preminger asked when he stepped into the room where the Queen was staying.

"Preminger," Genevieve sighed. "I'm glad you came."

Her voice was quiet and feeble.

"Are you alright?" Preminger asked and walked to the Queen's couch.

"I'm fine," Genevieve said, blinking away tears.

"What's wrong?" Preminger wanted to know.

He lifted Genevieve's chin, so she had to look at him.

"I..." Genevieve sighed. "I can't feel my legs. The Doctor said I will be moving with a wheelchair for at least half a year."

Genevieve looked away. "He said I had a big brain damage."

"I'm very sorry," Preminger said.

The Queen wiped a tear from her cheek and said, "So, I understand if you don't want to be with me anymore..."

"Why would you even think that?" Preminger cut her off. "I would stay with you through anything."

"I just thought..." Genevieve couldn't finish because Preminger put his finger on her lips.

"I love you," he whispered. "And I would never leave you."

Genevieve smiled and took Preminger's hand.

"I love you too."

Preminger pulled his wife closer.

"I'm glad to hear it," he said, and kissed the Queen.

Genevieve enjoyed her husband's love until the door opened.

She gently pushed Preminger away.

"Come in, my darling!" Genevieve called her daughter.

Anneliese walked in and stopped before her mother.

"Good morning," she said to Preminger, and then turned to her mother, "I just heard about you. Are you alright?"

"I am," Genevieve answered. "A bit hurt, but okay."

"That's good," Anneliese said and embraced her mother.

"So, what happened?" she asked, when she let go of the Queen.

"Yes, what happened?" Preminger was also curious.

"I... I don't remember," Genevieve said. "I was just walking in the hall and I heard some voices, but... I don't remember anything else."

She sighed. "I'm not sure if I want to remember anything else."

Suddenly, Genevieve lost the sorrow in her voice as she said, "Do you know where Lilliana is? I need to thank her for saving me."

"I'll find her," Preminger said, and left the room.

Anneliese sat on the edge of Genevieve's bed.

"I have something to tell you," the Queen said.

She told her daughter about her condition and the fact that she wasn't able to move by herself anymore.

"I am so sorry," Anneliese said after hearing her.

"I'll be alright," Genevieve said.

Her smile told Anneliese that she was telling the truth.


	30. Not thankful enough

In the afternoon, the Queen was sitting in her wheelchair in her room.

Without a knock, Lilliana came in.

"Lilliana! I'm so glad to see you," Genevieve said.

The woman walked indifferently to the Queen.

"Thank you for saving me," Genevieve said to Lilliana. "I can't even imagine what would have happened if you weren't there. Maybe I wouldn't even be here. I'm truly very thankful."

Lilliana didn't reply.

She gave the Queen a little smile, and took hold of the wheelchair.

Lilliana pushed the wheelchair towards the door.

"Where are you taking me?" Genevieve asked, a bit frightened.

"You'll see," Lilliana answered and headed out of the room with the wheelchair.

* * *

Lilliana stopped the wheelchair on top of the stairs.

"What are we doing here?" Genevieve asked, scared.

Lilliana gave the Queen a few papers.

"What's this?" Genevieve was confused.

"Sign the papers or you will fall," Lilliana said and turned the Queen's wheelchair towards the stairs.

"Lilliana!" Genevieve exclaimed. "Are you mad?"

Then, she took a look at the papers.

"Divorce papers?" the Queen was surprised. "How did you get Preminger to sign them?"

"I lived with Preminger for a few years and learned a lot about him. And it's not very hard to fake his signature," Lilliana answered.

"I won't sign them," Genevieve said firmly, and gave the papers back to Lilliana.

"You didn't get the point, did you? You have no choice."

Lilliana moved the wheelchair to the edge of the first stair.

"You can't be serious," Genevieve said in scare. "You wouldn't do it."

"You don't know me at all," Lilliana said and took hold of the wheelchair to push it.

"Lilliana, I beg of you, let me go," Genevieve said.

Her voice was shivering. A good sign for Lilliana, the Queen was really frightened.

"Not until you agree to do what I want," Lilliana said.

She pushed the wheelchair's first wheels down two steps.

Genevieve, quickly, took hold of the wheelchair's hafts.

Her parts stiffened.

"Pull me back, please!" Genevieve said, trying not to scream.

Lilliana gave her back the divorce papers. "You know my condition."

"Please, Lilliana, there has to be another way," Genevieve begged.

Lilliana shook the wheelchair to frighten the Queen.

"Okay!" Genevieve surrendered.

Lilliana gave her a pen.

The Queen took it with a trembling hand and started to write.

She could hardly see what she was writing because her eyes were filled with tears.

Her signature was "Genevieve" and a beautiful "Q".

When the Queen was painting the "i" letter, she suddenly stopped.

She changed her mind and threw the papers down the stairs.

"I will never sign them!" she said furiously to Lilliana.

"Then you'll be the one to go and get them back," Lilliana said.

She was about to push the brink of death Queen down the stairs, when someone pulled her away from there.

Preminger pulled her farther from the Queen.

Lilliana pushed the King away from her and ran away.

Preminger stumbled against Genevieve's wheelchair.

The Queen let out a small scream when she fell out of the wheelchair.

Genevieve rolled down the stairs with no way to stop herself.

The lifeless Queen stopped when the stairs ended.

Her motionless body, now, lay on the floor of a big hall.

Only complete silence could be heard in the room.


	31. Down the stairs

"Mother!" Anneliese's scream broke the silence.

From the door, the Princess rushed to the faint Queen.

Preminger hurried down the stairs after calling to a guard, "Get Lilliana!"

Anneliese took her mother in her arms.

"Find a doctor!" she called to Preminger.

The King didn't even stop to look at the women. He ran out of the room to find the Doctor.

"Mother!" Anneliese whispered to her mother. "Mother, can you hear me?"

Her eyes filled with tears when she looked at the Queen.

The Princess embraced her motionless mother and whispered in her ear, "Please stay with me. I need you."

A few seconds later, Preminger and the Doctor came running in.

"You have to help her, quickly!" Anneliese said to the Doctor and tried to wipe away her tears, which was pointless because she only cried more and more.

"Again?" the Doctor mumbled quietly.

But with no protest, he lifted the frail Queen off the ground, and carried her out of the room.

Preminger followed them worriedly.

Anneliese sat on the stairs, and buried her face in her hands.

Suddenly, she felt that she was sitting on something.

The Princess pulled some papers from under her seat.

"Divorce papers?" Anneliese was surprised after she took a look at the papers.

"Why would Mother want to get a divorcement? She was finally so happy," the Princess wondered.

Then, she noticed Preminger's signature.

"That man does not love my Mother if he agrees to leave her like that," Anneliese thought.

"If she is still alive."

And the Princess began to cry again.


	32. Consolation

Julian walked into the hall and saw the crying Princess.

"Anneliese? What happened?" he asked and sat next to his fiancee.

Anneliese embraced the man.

"Mother fell..." she couldn't finish because of her crying.

Julian caressed the Princess's head and said, "What ever happened, I know you will both be alright."

He stood up and said, "Come, Anneliese. Let's go to our room, then you can tell me everything."

The Princess still held her arms around Julian when they walked out of the room.

On their way to the Princess's room, they passed a guard who was taking Lilliana to the dungeon.

"I hope you're happy now," Anneliese cried.

Lilliana gave her a furious glare, but she didn't reply.

* * *

After telling Julian all that happened, Anneliese collapsed to her bed and cried herself to sleep.

"Poor thing," Julian whispered as he caressed the Princess's head.

* * *

When the Princess woke up in the morning, she saw that Julian had a big smile on his face.

"What makes you so happy?" Anneliese asked.

Tears still filled her eyes.

"The Queen is alive," Julian smiled.

Anneliese's sadness was gone with a second.

"What?" she asked in disbelief. "Did you say, Mother is alive?"

Julian nodded.

"That's wonderful!" Anneliese exclaimed and embraced her fiance.

New tears began to roll down her cheeks. But they were different tears. They were the tears of joy.

"I have to go see her," Anneliese said through laughter, and ran happily out of the room.

"Now that's what I call happiness," Julian said when the Princess left.

* * *

Anneliese opened her mother's door hesitantly, and peeked in.

The Queen lay on her bed and looked at the Princess.

"Anneliese?" Genevieve asked quietly.

"Mother!" Anneliese exclaimed and ran to the Queen.

The Princess embraced her Mother happily.

"You're alive!" she whispered. "I thought I lost you."

Anneliese sat on the edge of her Mother's bed and smiled warmly at her Mother.

Genevieve wiped a tear from her daughter's cheek.

"Everything is alright now," she said and smiled lovingly.

Then, the Queen looked at the Princess's hands and asked, "What's that? What have you got there?"

Anneliese held the divorce papers in her hand.

"I found them on the stairs," she explained. "But why did you...?"

"Throw them away," Genevieve cut her off. "I don't want to see them anymore."

Anneliese looked confused.

"I just wanted to ask..." she couldn't finish again.

"I don't want to talk about it," Genevieve said, but she did. "These papers are the reason why I fell down the stairs. Lilliana forced me to sign them. I didn't do it and..." The Queen sighed.

"I understand," the Princess said.

Anneliese crumpled the papers into a small ball and threw it into a nearby trashcan.

"Thank you," Genevieve said.

"I thought it was a bit weird," Anneliese said and chuckled. "That you wanted a divorcement. I see, you're so happy with Preminger."

"I am," the Queen admitted.

"I told you you'd accept him one day."

* * *

At the same time, Preminger was walking into the dungeons.

He stopped before Lilliana's cage.

"I came to tell you that your plan did not work," Preminger said. "The Queen survived, she is still alive."

"I didn't ask," Lilliana said insolently.

"But now that I'm imprisoned..." she added. "You have to take care of your daughter."


	33. Shocking news

"Who?" Preminger was confused.

"Your daugher. Our daughter," Lilliana said. "You didn't know it, but when you broke up with me, I was pregnant. The girl grew up with a stepfather. But he died a few years ago. And now that I'm imprisoned here, **you** need to take care of her."

For a few moments, Preminger couldn't say anything.

Then, he pulled himself together and said, "But I don't know anything about her. Or how to raise her."

"She doesn't need too much attention," Lilliana said. "Her name is Adella, and she is sixteen years old. She'll tell you everything else."

"When will I meet her?"

"She is coming to this castle tomorrow," Lilliana answered. "And now that you live here, she is going to live here as well."

Preminger had a shocked look, which made Lilliana laugh.

"Don't worry. You'll get used to that thought," she said as the King slowly walked out of the dungeon.

* * *

Genevieve was sitting in her room when the door opened.

"Hello, my dear," she said to Preminger.

Then, the Queen noticed her husband's shocked look.

"Oh dear," she mumbled quietly as she, quickly, moved with her wheelchair to the King. "What happened?"

Preminger sat down on a nearby chair and said, "Lilliana gave me a shocking news."

"So?" Genevieve asked curiously. "What is it?"

"She said that..." Preminger said. "That I have a... A daughter."

Genevieve looked at her husband, surprised.

That **was **shocking!

The Queen quickly pulled herself together and said, "That's wonderful!"

Preminger was surprised. He had thought that the Queen would be mad at him or sad that she was not the only one Preminger had loved.

"You're not angry?" he asked.

"Oh no. Why would I be?" Genevieve said. "Having a daughter is a wonderful thing. And even if it was with another woman that is history now."

She embraced her husband lovingly and asked, "What's her name?"

"Adella," Preminger answered.

"What a beautiful name," Genevieve noticed.

"I know nothing else, except that she is sixteen years old," Preminger added.

"Then I hope she'll make friends with Anneliese," the Queen said. "When can I meet her?"

"She is coming to live here, in the castle tomorrow," Preminger answered, and sighed.

Genevieve nodded slightly.

"Are you scared?" she asked after hearing the sigh.

"Of course not," Preminger said, but he knew that it sounded like the opposite.

"You don't have to be afraid of meeting your daughter. I'm sure she will be nice," Genevieve said with a chuckle. "And I'm sure, you'll get along just fine."

The Queen looked worriedly at the King.

"Try to smile," she said and caressed her husband's head. "Just a little bit?"

Preminger made a small smile.

"That's better," Genevieve said. "Now, if you don't mind, I'll go and tell Anneliese the news."

She gave her husband a kiss on the cheek, and went out of the room on her wheelchair.


	34. New acquaintance

The next morning, Anneliese, Genevieve and Preminger were standing in the throne room, waiting for Preminger's daughter.

Actually, only one of them was standing. Genevieve sat on her wheelchair and Preminger...

Preminger walked around aimlessly and nervously.

"Calm down," Anneliese said.

"She's just a regular girl," Genevieve added.

"Actually, she **is** pretty special," Anneliese whispered to her mother.

"Of course she is," Genevieve replied. "I've never seen Preminger so nervous."

"Neither have I," Anneliese quietly said.

They both giggled as they watched Preminger's pointless action.

"Come on, dear," Genevieve said to Preminger. "You need to calm and..."

The door opened.

Preminger stopped, and the Queen shut up.

A slim and beautiful girl walked into the room.

Her black hair sparkled as the sunbeams peeked in from the windows and fell on the girl's head. Her sparkly light gray eyes gave away the sunshine in her mood.

She walked gracefully to the royals and bowed.

Her shy smile warmed the Queen's heart.

"Your Majesties," the girl's quiet and soft voice greeted them.

"My name is Adella," she introduced herself, and waited for someone to take over the talk.

"Hello, Adella," Anneliese hurried to make a new friend. "I'm Anneliese, and this is my Mother, Queen Genevieve."

Genevieve smiled warmly at the girl.

Adella looked sadly at the Queen's wheelchair and said guiltily, "I'm very sorry about all my Mother did to you."

"You don't need to be sorry," Genevieve said without even a hint of disapproval. "It wasn't your fault."

Adella smiled and turned to speak with Preminger.

But the King was lost in his thoughts, so Adella didn't even try to start a conversation with him.

Instead, she turned back to Genevieve as the Queen said, "Welcome to our family, my dear."

Adella wished to hug the Queen for such good regard.

But since she had just met her, Adella just smiled her shy and adorable smile.

Anneliese stepped closer to Adella.

"Come on, Adella. I'll show you around," she called to the new Princess.

Adella bowed before the Queen and the King, and then followed the friendly Princess out of the room.

"She's lovely," Genevieve said when the doors closed after the girls.

"Don't you think?" she turned to her husband.

"What?" Preminger woke up from his thoughts. "Oh, yes," he replied.

Then, he thought for a moment and asked, "What did you say?"

Genevieve sighed.

"What's on your mind?" she asked.

"Nothing. She just reminds me of her mother when she was young," Preminger answered.

A small flash of jealousy rushed through Genevieve.

"So she was more beautiful and better than me?" she asked, trying to sound aggrieved.

"No, no," Preminger said and leaned closer to his wife.

"**You** are the most beautiful in my eyes," he said and turned the Queen's head to face him. "You are **the best.** And that will never change."

Preminger kissed her as proof.

Genevieve blushed when she saw the two Princesses on the door.

But she wasn't brave enough to push Preminger away.

Instead, she made a gesture for the girls to leave, and they did.

Genevieve heard two soft giggles as the girls left.

"They are so beautiful together," Genevieve heard Adella's voice say.

Genevieve smiled, as much as she was able to, and then forgot about the girls.

Because she was with her true love.


	35. Now that's what brings a smile

A few hours later, the Princesses entered the dining room.

It was not hard to tell that they had become very good friends.

Adella had told Anneliese everything about her, and the Princess had answered with the same.

Preminger was even a bit surprised when he saw that his daughter isn't so shy anymore.

The Princesses didn't even stop their chatting when they sat at the table.

"Was my Father really so..." Adella seeked for the right word. "...evil?"

"He sure was," Anneliese chuckled which made the King frown.

"But it's okay," the Princess added. "He has changed now."

"Hopefully," she whispered, and the Princesses giggled again.

Then, Adella changed the subject.

"Shouldn't the Queen be here by now?" she asked to make a hint at the empty seat at the table.

Preminger had not noticed it before, but now he stoop up and said, "I'll go and find her."

The King left the Princesses, and headed for the Queen's room.

"Do you think she's alright?" Anneliese asked worriedly.

"She has had too many threats already," Adella replied. "I don't think she's been attacked again."

* * *

"Genevieve?" Preminger asked behind the Queen's door.

He took hold of the doorknob and pushed. But the door didn't open.

"Are you in there?"

Genevieve's feeble voice answered, "I am. I'm okay."

"Why is the door locked, my dear?" Preminger asked uneasily. "Could you let me in please?"

"I..." The Queen let out a weary sigh. "I can't."

"What do you mean?" Preminger asked mistrustfully. "What's going on in there?"

"I can't..."

Genevieve pressed her hands against the floor and sat up arduously.

"I can't move. I fell out of my wheelchair."

Preminger was a bit surprised at what he heard, but then said firmly, "I'm coming in."

"Wait!" Genevieve exclaimed but she was too late.

Preminger pushed the door with his shoulder and rushed in.

The door hit the Queen who was lying on the floor. She let out a small shriek.

"Oh, a thousand apologies, my dear," Preminger apologized and squatted beside the Queen. "Are you alright?"

"Of course," Genevieve smiled.

Preminger took hold of the Queen, lifted her up and lay her on her wheelchair.

"Thank you, dear," Genevieve said and smiled her most loving smile.

"Why did you fall?" Preminger questioned.

"I tried to..." Genevieve hesitated. "...stand up."

"What?" Preminger was surprised.

"My legs are hurting me."

"But I thought you didn't feel them," Preminger was even more confused.

"Exactly!" Genevieve laughed. "I've never been so happy to feel pain before."

"That's a good sign..."

"...of recovering," Genevieve finished for her husband. "I can't believe I'll be up on my feet soon."

"I'm very happy for you," Preminger said and caressed his wife's head.

The Queen's smile shined like nothing could ever remove it from her face and from her heart.


	36. Where's the Queen?

The next morning, the Queen was sitting on her wheelchair in her room, looking in the mirror.

"Hello, my dear Preminger," she said after the door opened.

"I just came from the Doctor," Genevieve said, still looking in the mirror. "He said I'm recovering quickly. I should be able to walk normally in a couple of months."

"How interesting," the man behind her said indifferently.

"Preminger, what's wrong?" Genevieve asked and looked at her husband's reflection in the mirror.

"Nothing important, really."

That sentence seemed familiar to the Queen.

"Peter?" she asked, scared.

"You've guessed it," the man said.

Genevieve was about to call for help when Peter took hold of her.

He pressed a kerchief against the Queen's mouth.

Genevieve tried to say something but the kerchief suppressed all her words.

Genevieve scented the smell of chloroform, and the next moment she fainted.

Peter smirked and pushed the Queen's wheelchair out of the room.

* * *

Julian knocked on the Queen's door.

"May I come in, Your Highness?" he asked.

When he didn't get an answer, Julian opened the door and peeked in.

"Queen Genevieve?"

He noticed something on the floor and went to pick it up.

It was a small kerchief, but it had the Queen's light lipstick on it.

Julian smelled it and mumbled, "Chloroform."

A scaring thought rushed through Julian's mind, and he hurried out of the room to find the King and the Princesses.

* * *

"Now, where's that Julian? He was supposed to bring the Queen," Preminger thought.

The doors opened and the Prince came in.

"I think the Queen has been captured," he said.

The Princesses and the King surrounded Julian.

"What do you mean?" Adella asked.

"I found this," Julian showed them the kerchief. "It's scented with chloroform. Chloroform is being used to make people unconscious."

"You don't say," Preminger muttered, irritated.

"Are you saying, Mother's being kidnapped?" Anneliese asked, frightened.

"I'm afraid so," Julian said.

"We have to find her," Anneliese was certain.

"Let's split up," Adella suggested. "We'll search the whole castle and the gardens."

"I'll send out the search parties," Preminger said and rushed out of the room.

"Who do you think might have done it?" Adella asked.

"I don't know," Anneliese answered. "The Doctor is imprisoned, and so is your Mother. And Peter is..."

At the same moment, a servant rushed in and said,"Peter has escaped."

"Oh no," Anneliese muttered.

"What is it?" the other Princess questioned.

"Peter is your uncle," Anneliese replied. "He is very dangerous. He has tried to kill the Queen once. And now that he is free..."

"It's okay. We'll find your Mother," Adella assured her. "But we'd better hurry."

Anneliese nodded, and the Princesses hurried out of the room to look for the Queen.

"Please be alright," Anneliese thought.


	37. Imprisoned somewhere

Genevieve opened her eyes in a small and dark room.

Nearby stood Peter and looked at her.

"Well, I was beginning to think you wouldn't wake up," he said without even a hint of worry.

Genevieve looked around, scared, and asked, "Where am I? What do you want from me?"

"You're too curious," Peter replied. "Let's just say that you won't get out until your family agrees to pay for your freedom. And until I become King."

"You?" Genevieve said sarcastically. "You will never become King."

"I will," Peter was certain. "After I eliminate your husband."

Genevieve gasped.

"You can't," she whispered, frightened, but then changed her voice.

"I will give you out," she said firmly.

Peter laughed quietly.

"You didn't get it. You won't survive," he said. "**If **you won't agree to become **my **wife."

Genevieve laughed like it was a joke.

"Your wife? I am married to your brother, and I love him. And I will never be anyone else's wife."

"I'm sure you'll change your mind. Sooner or later," Peter said and leaned closer to the Queen.

Too close for Genevieve.

She pushed the man away and said, "In your dreams."

Peter smirked.

"I thought you wouldn't be easy to convince," he said. "But I'll manage it."

Then, the Queen looked around in the small room.

"What's that?" she asked pointing at a small plate on the table.

"I wouldn't want a beautiful woman like you to starve," Peter answered.

Genevieve crossed her arms on her chest.

"I won't eat anything you serve me," she said.

"Then starve, I don't care," Peter said and turned to leave.

"Wait! You can't leave me here," the Queen shouted.

"Actually, I can. And I will," Peter said. "I'll be back tomorrow to visit you again. Until then enjoy your time alone."

He stepped out of the door and quickly closed it.

"Wait!" Genevieve called, but it was too late.

Peter had locked the door and walked off.

A small tear appeared on Genevieve's cheek.

* * *

Preminger, Julian, Adella and Anneliese met in the throne room.

"Have you found her?" Adella asked hopefully.

"No."

"I haven't seen her."

"She's gone."

Anneliese burst into tears and buried her face in Julian's shoulder.

Adella looked worriedly at the King who was just as much worried.

"A letter for the King," a servant said after entering the room.

"This is not a good time," Preminger mumbled, but took the letter.

The others watched as the King read the letter and turned pale.

"What is it?" Julian asked curiously.

"It **was **Peter," Preminger answered. "He took the Queen, and he wants a ransom for her freedom."

"How much?"

Preminger showed the man the letter.

The Prince stared, surprised, at the huge number on the paper.

"Let's do it," he said certainly.

"Where will we take it?" Adella asked.

"The seventh waterfall," Preminger read. "What does that mean?"

"The seventh waterfall in the Silver stream," Adella said. "I know that place. It's in the Eastern Forest."

"Then what are we waiting for?" Anneliese asked.

"Peter said that we have to be there at two o'clock tomorrow," the King replied.

"But we can't go alone," Julian said. "We need guards in case Peter will try anything dangerous."

After that, the Prince left the room to get the guards ready for the next day.

"You should try to rest," Adella said, and put a supporting hand on Anneliese's shoulder.

The Princess nodded slightly, and left the room with the other Princess.

And even though she tried to rest, she could hardly fall asleep.

The worry about her Mother crept into her heart and made her cry again and again.


	38. The Queen and ransom

The next morning, Queen Genevieve was trying to stand up again when Peter came into her small prison.

Genevieve collapsed back to her wheelchair.

"So, you can use your legs," Peter said. "I knew it."

"I can't," Genevieve assured him. "I'm only trying to..."

"Don't lie," Peter said firmly. "Show me how you can stand up."

"But I can't," Genevieve said and felt tears filling her eyes.

"I said stand up," Peter said and pulled out his dagger menacingly.

The Queen sighed and started to get up, trying to hold back tears.

She managed to stand up for a moment but then fell on the floor with a small shriek.

"I told you I can not stand up," she said and tears began to roll down her cheeks. "Why is it so hard to understand that I'm an invalid?"

The Queen's reaction surprised Peter and made him feel a bit awkward.

"Oh, I didn't mean it that way," he said uneasily, and squatted beside the Queen to help her up.

Genevieve wanted to huff, "I don't want your help." But as she didn't have any other way to get up again, she let Peter lift her up and place her on her wheelchair.

Genevieve waited for Peter to let go of her and move away but he only leaned closer to look into the Queen's scared eyes.

"Let go of me," Genevieve said with a trembling voice, but Peter ignored it.

With one hand, he wiped away tears from the Queen's cheeks. At the same time, he slipped his other hand lower on her back.

Genevieve looked at Peter, desperately thinking of a way to get out of his grasp.

"You're a very charming woman," Peter whispered.

Genevieve felt his hand get too low. She didn't even think anymore and slapped the man.

Peter backed away.

"Ah! Feisty as well," he muttered and took hold of his hurting cheek.

"Don't you ever touch me like that again!" Genevieve said angrily, but tears appeared in her eyes again.

Maybe it was because she wished Preminger would be there to protect her.

"Actually, I came here to get you to meet your family," Peter said regaining his normal voice.

"You're giving me back?" Genevieve asked in disbelief.

"Not the way you'd like it," Peter mumbled.

* * *

At two o'clock, Anneliese, Julian, Adella and Preminger were waiting near the Seventh waterfall.

The Silver stream was burbling happily which was nothing like the royals mood.

They looked around worriedly hoping to spot the Queen and Peter.

As minutes passed, the situation seemed to become hopeless until Adella noticed Peter and the Queen.

Genevieve's arms were tied against her wheelchair's hafts for, in Peter's words, "safety".

"Hey, he looks just like my Father," Adella noticed.

"They're twins," Anneliese explained.

Peter stopped a few meters before them.

"Mother," Anneliese whispered, longing to embrace her mother.

"Anneliese," the Queen whispered back. Her voice showed clearly how relieved she was to see her family again.

"Give me the money," Peter commanded looking at the pouch of money in Anneliese's hand.

Supporting smiles from her family encouraged the Princess to step forward and hand the money to the man.

Anneliese quickly took a few steps back in case something was not to Peter's liking.

Peter peeked inside the pouch and smirked.

"Thank you, Your Highness," he said, and took hold of the wheelchair again. "**We **will be on our way now."

"Wait! Aren't you going to free the Queen?" Adella asked.

"No. Let's see how good King my brother is," Peter answered and was about to leave.

From behind the trees came out a few guards that Julian had called, but Peter was quick.

He pulled out his dagger and placed it on the Queen's neck.

"Nobody come any closer," Peter warned. "Or your Queen is done for."

Everyone stood still, frightened and thinking of what will happen next.

Genevieve didn't even dare to breathe. She knew that even the smallest movement could kill her.

"As I said, we'll be going now," Peter said and left, pushing the Queen's wheelchair in front of him.

When Peter and Genevieve were finally out of sight, everyone sighed sorrowfully and Anneliese burst into tears.


	39. New interests and methods

Peter pushed Genevieve's wheelchair back into a small underground shelter.

"What do you want from me?" Genevieve asked, looking over her shoulder. "You have your money."

"But I could have more," Peter said as he walked in front of the Queen.

"Like what?" Genevieve questioned.

"Like your royal jewels," Peter answered. "Something valuable. Like this."

Peter glanced at Genevieve's wedding ring.

"What are you planning?" the Queen asked, a bit scared.

"Nothing important, really," Peter said his simple sentence and touched Genevieve's ring.

"Hey, that's my wedding ring," the Queen huffed and clawed the man's hand.

"But it sure is valuable," Peter mentioned and took hold of her hand even though it was already tied against the wheelchair's haft.

He took hold of the ring, and tried to pull it off.

Genevieve tried to pull her hand away but Peter's grip was too strong.

The ring slipped away from the Queen's finger.

"Give it back!" she demanded.

"No, I think I'll sell it," Peter replied and took a look at the ring.

"You can't."

"Why can't I? You can't stop me," Peter said irreverently.

"But..." Tears appeared in the Queen's eyes. "It's important to me."

"And money is important to me," Peter replied. "Now, I'd like you to tell me where you hold your most precious jewelry in your castle."

"Why should I tell you anything?" Genevieve said a bit arrogantly.

"I was hoping you'd ask that," Peter said, and leaned closer to the Queen. "Let's see how much I disgust you."

Genevieve opened her mouth to say something when Peter pressed his lips against hers.

The Queen forced her lips together strongly, but Peter found a way to melt them.

She tried to pull away, but Peter had taken hold of her and held her tight.

Finally, when the Queen was out of breath, Peter pulled back.

"My brother is pretty lucky," he said with a smirk. "Now, are you going to tell me where your jewels are? Or..."

"Okay, I'll tell you," Genevieve surrendered, not wanting another kiss from Peter.

The man smiled. "So?"

"You know where my room is, right?" the Queen started. "If you walk down the hall, third door on the right. That's where you'll find my jewels."

"Than you, Your Highness," Peter said, and walked to the door.

"You're just going to leave?" Genevieve asked. "Would you, please, untie my arms first?"

"First things first," Peter said. "I'll be back in a few hours. Then I'll untie your arms."

"But you..."

Peter had already shut the door.


	40. Trap

Peter walked down the hall with a thought that he will have the most valuable jewels in the kingdom.

That thought made him smile as he opened the door to the room Genevieve had told him to go.

"Preminger?" Adella asked in surprise.

The Princesses were sitting on Anneliese's bed, and sorting her jewels.

"Have you ever heard of knocking?" Anneliese questioned.

The Queen had sent Peter to the Princess' room.

"I'm sorry Your Majesties," he said uneasily as he backed away.

The girls giggled at his awkward situation.

"And where's your crown?" Anneliese added.

"Oh, I must have left it in my room," Peter replied and turned to walk out of the room.

"Not so fast, brother," Preminger said as he stepped into the room and in front of his brother. "You're not going anywhere."

"So you think," Peter replied.

He pushed his brother out of the way and rushed out of the room.

Two guards took hold of him.

Peter tried to struggle out of their grasp, but when nothing helped, he huffed, "I knew I shouldn't have trusted that cunning woman."

"And now, Peter, tell me where are you hiding that "cunning woman"," Preminger demanded as he and the Princesses came out of the room as well.

"How about..." Peter said. "No."

"What?"

"I could tell you but... Where's the fun in that?" Peter said. "Let's see how fast you'll find her."

"But don't you even care about her?" Anneliese asked.

Her voice showed that she was losing her temper, so Adella pulled her back into her room to calm her down.

"I don't really care about her," Peter answered Anneliese's question. "Just as she doesn't care about me. And you."

"What do you mean?" Preminger asked, confused.

"She is cheating you," Peter answered.

"No, she is not," Preminger was certain.

His brother smirked and wiped his lips with his hand. A little bit of Genevieve's lipstick remained on his hand.

Preminger looked at it and shook his head.

"I don't believe you," he said, and made a gesture for the guards to take him to the dungeon. "I hope you'll change your mind, and tell me where the Queen is tomorrow. And stop spreading lies about my wife."

"You don't need to trouble yourself. I won't tell you," Peter said as the guards took him to the prison.

Before he left the castle, he called to his brother, "And you'd better hurry to find her. In a few days, she'll die of thirst or starve."


	41. Hero is coming to rescue

Three days went by but nothing changed. Except that most of the search parties had given up on finding the Queen.

Peter refused to tell where he had hidden Genevieve.

Anneliese was inconsolable. Even though everyone in the palace tried to comfort her, the heartbreaking thought about her Mother kept troubling her.

Preminger even went to look for the Queen by himself, but it was as pointless as his tries to console the Princess.

The only one who felt alive really was Adella. She assured everyone that it's just a matter of time before they find Genevieve.

Unfortunately, she was the only one to think that.

* * *

Adella's mind needed rest from the dolefulness in the castle. And there's nothing better than a morning stroll in fresh air.

Her feet took her into the Eastern Forest.

Now that she was out there, she felt like nothing could trouble her anymore.

The bird song made her want to sing as well.

And she did:

"_If you believe in who you are,_

_who you are always meant to be._

_If you open up your heart,_

_then you set your spirit free_."

In a nearby underground shelter, Queen Genevieve heard her gentle voice.

"Help!" she called, but it sounded more like whispering.

But Adella didn't hear her.

"Help!" the Queen tried again.

This time it must have been louder because Adella stopped her singing.

"Hello?" the Princess called, looking around. "Is anybody out there?"

She heard a female voice call for help.

"Where are you?" Adella asked, and started to walk around, hoping to see someone.

Unfortunately, she was walking farther from the Queen's prison.

"In an underground shelter," Genevieve said as an answer.

"What? I can't hear you," Adella said, and turned around to walk back to where she had heard the voice.

"In an underground shelter!" the Queen said as loudly as she could.

"Did you say underground?" Adella asked, confused.

She looked around but nothing seemed as a way to get under the ground.

Then, she spot a door in a small hill.

The Princess rushed to the door and knocked.

"Are you in there?" she asked.

"Yes," the Queen's quiet voice answered.

"Don't worry, I'll get you out," Adella said and took a step back.

Then, with a quick _kung fu_ move, she smashed the door.

The Princess rushed in and saw the Queen.

"Queen Genevieve!" Adella exclaimed and hurried to the Queen.

"Oh, Adella, thank goodness it's you," Genevieve said, relieved.

"How long have I been here?" she asked.

Her face was pale, and her voice was quiet and weak.

"It's been three days since we gave Peter the ransom," Adella answered as she untied the Queen's hands.

"Three days?" Genevieve mumbled in surprise.

"What happened to Peter?" she asked, a bit scared. "You got him, right?"

"Yes," Adella said. "King Preminger decided to execute him today."

"Execute him?" the Queen was shocked. "That's too harsh."

"That's what I thought too," the Princess agreed. "But there's still time to change things. The execution should start in a couple of hours."

The Queen nodded her head in agreement.

"Oh, you must be starving," Adella said, and took an apple from her pocket.

"I know it's not much but..." she said, and handed the fruit to the Queen.

"Thank you, my dear," Genevieve smiled and took the apple.

"Now, let's get you back to the castle," the Princess said and pushed the Queen's wheelchair out of the room into a shining sunlight.


	42. Confusion

Adella pushed Genevieve's wheelchair into the castle.

"It's so good to be back home," the Queen said with a sigh of relief.

"It was nothing like home without you," Adella said and smiled.

Genevieve smiled back, and was about to say something when two guards came into the room.

"There she is!" one of the guards called. "Get her!"

"What?" the women said in unison.

"King Preminger has given us orders to capture the Queen if she shows up," the guard explained.

"Preminger?" Genevieve mumbled, surprised.

"For what?" Adella questioned. "What did she do?"

The guards thought for a moment and then one of them said, "He didn't tell us."

"I'd like to see a King who wants to imprison his own wife," Adella said with a growing anger.

"As would I," Genevieve added.

"Well, I guess you may see him," the guard said, and walked towards the Queen's wheelchair.

"I think I'll take this," Adella said with a warning voice.

She gave the guard an angry glare, and the man backed away.

"As you wish," he mumbled, and the four walked out of the room.

* * *

The guards opened the doors to the throne room and Adella and Genevieve went in.

"Well, if it isn't our lost Queen," the King said as the four stopped in front of him.

Genevieve glanced, scared, at the man.

"That is not King Preminger," she said. "That's Peter."

"Are you sure?" Adella whispered.

"Oh, poor woman does not recognize her own husband," Peter said with a smirk.

Genevieve gave Adella a look that said, "Of course I'm sure."

Adella nodded and turned to Peter, "Don't play with us, Peter. We know you're not the King."

"Oh, you do? But you've got a little problem," Peter said and pointed at the guards. "You see them? They think I **am** the King."

"I don't have any problems," Adella said firmly. "But you do."

Quickly, she jumped to the guards and hit them.

"You see, not only men know how to fight," she said to Peter.

She continued to grant the guards with _kung fu_ hits and kicks.

Genevieve and Peter watched in surprise as the Princess laid both of the strong men on the ground.

Then, she regained her shy and adorable smile, and stood next to the Queen so calmly as if she hadn't just knocked down two burly men.

"Where did you learn to fight like that?" Genevieve asked.

She was so surprised, words hardly came out of her mouth.

"_Kung fu_ helps me keep control over my inner peace," Adella answered in her gentle voice. "But sometimes I need to use it in other ways."

"You're just full of surprises," Genevieve laughed.

Adella smiled, and then turned to the guards who arduously got up, "Take this man to the dungeon."

The guards took hold of Peter, and Adella took the crown from his head.

"What do you need that for?" Peter questioned. "Your King will not survive. The execution has already started."

Genevieve gasped and Adella dropped the crown on the floor.

"Where does it take place?" she asked.

"In the orchard," Peter answered indifferently.

Adella quickly took hold of the Queen's wheelchair and rushed out of the room.

"You won't make it!" Peter called to them.

* * *

Adella ran down the halls as fast as the wind.

"Slow down!" Genevieve told her in scare.

"Don't worry, I won't let anything happen to you," the Princess assured her. "And I will not let them kill my Father."


	43. Together and separated

"Hurry, Adella. Hurry!" Adella told herself as she rushed down the halls with the Queen.

She was as scared as Genevieve.

The Queen was afraid that she will crash with her wheelchair, and that they won't make it to the execution in time.

* * *

Preminger stood on a podium with his hands tied behind his back.

"We are gathered here to execute this criminal," an announcer said. "For threatening our beloved Queen many times. And because of this man, the Queen is..."

"Stop!" a female voice shouted.

Everyone's heads turned to look at the castle doors whom where two women came hurriedly. One of them on a wheelchair.

"It's the Queen!" someone exclaimed.

"She's alive!"

"Look how pale she is."

"Stop the execution!" Genevieve called.

"But that man tried to kill you," someone in the crowd said.

"I wouldn't even want to execute **him**," Genevieve replied. "But this is not a murderer." She pointed at Preminger. "This is my husband and your King. Preminger."

Everyone in the crowd gasped, and a guard quickly untied Preminger's hands.

The King jumped down from the podium and rushed to Genevieve.

He took hold of his wife and kissed her happily.

Many "Awwws" came from the crowd.

Adella smiled and took a few steps away from the couple.

Genevieve would have smiled as well if she'd had the chance.

But she didn't because she enjoyed the kiss she had been dreaming of for many days.

She was held by affectionate and confident arms, and if she had opened her eyes she had seen the most loving look in her love's golden eyes.

She didn't care at all that everyone were watching them.

When they finally pulled back, Preminger took Genevieve's hands fondly and said, "I was so worried about you."

He looked at the Queen as he was checking if she was alright.

Genevieve smiled but then a thoughtful look slipped on her face.

"How was Peter able to change places with you?" she asked.

"He..." Preminger started to answer but stopped.

His eye stopped on Genevieve's left hand.

The Queen noticed it and looked at her hand.

There was no ring.

"So, Peter was right," Preminger said.

"About what?" Genevieve asked, confused.

"You're cheating me," the King said and let go of her hands.

"No, I'm not," Genevieve said, but Preminger turned to walk away.

"Hey, we just saved your life," Adella said.

"Well, thank you for that," Preminger said to the Princess and walked away.

"Preminger, wait!" the Queen called and hurried after her husband who entered the castle.

* * *

Genevieve entered the castle and a blonde girl looked at her from another door.

"Mother!" she exclaimed and ran to the Queen.

The next moment, Genevieve was happily embraced by her daughter.

The Queen was overjoyed to hug her daughter again.

But she still looked around worriedly to spot her husband.

But Preminger had left.


	44. Good news that do bad

After two hours of chatting, Anneliese left her Mother's room with a contented smile.

Genevieve was overjoyed to be back home, but in her heart was worry.

She waited, and waited, and waited for Preminger to show up, but he didn't.

The Queen went to bed with a worried thought.

The empty stead beside her made a small tear drop from her eye.

"Oh Preminger, where are you?" Genevieve whispered, and fell asleep.

* * *

When the Queen woke up in the morning, she was still alone in the bed.

After she got dressed, she noticed her husband on the couch.

Genevieve moved closer to him and said, "Preminger, I need to talk to you."

"No, I don't want to talk to you," Preminger said and stood up to leave.

"Please don't run away again," Genevieve begged, but Preminger started to walk away.

"You're acting like a child!" the Queen burst out angrily.

"Says who?" Preminger said back after turning to face his wife. "A woman who cheats her own husband."

"I didn't cheat..."

"Enough of your lies!" Preminger almost shouted and was about to turn around again.

"Don't you dare to turn your back on me," Genevieve said in a warning tone and stood up.

She took a few determined steps towards her husband, but then stopped, realizing what she was doing.

"You... You were pretending?!" Preminger said in disbelief.

"No, I wasn't," Genevieve assured him. "I had no idea..."

"You were!" Preminger accused and turned to leave.

"Preminger, you have to listen to me. I didn't... Preminger!"

The King rushed out of the room.

Genevieve ran after him, but Preminger shut the door before her.

The Queen leaned against the door and said quietly, "Preminger, please!"

But when all she got as reply was the sound of leaving footsteps, Genevieve burst into tears and buried her face in her hands.

Her legs were hurting, but she didn't care about it.

Because her heart was hurting even more.

* * *

Genevieve entered the dining room with the aid of a walking stick.

The two Princesses turned to look at her in surprise.

"Mother?" Anneliese said. "You can walk?!"

"I wasn't pretending," the Queen quickly said.

"I didn't mean that," the Princess said in an apologizing tone.

"I know," Genevieve sighed. "I'm sorry."

"What's wrong?" Adella asked, noticing the Queen's sorrowful voice.

"It's nothing, I just... I had a quarrel with Preminger," Genevieve answered and sat down.

The Princesses looked at each other in confusion and then turned to look back at the Queen.

"I was hoping to find him here," Genevieve added. "But I guess I was wrong."

"He came here for a moment," Adella said.

"He took only one apple and left," Anneliese finished.

"Do you have any idea where he might have gone?" Genevieve asked with a growing hope.

"No, he didn't say anything," Adella said.

"Oh, okay then," the Queen said quietly.


	45. Accidently getting dangerous

After the breakfast the Queen walked out of the castle and towards the dungeon.

If she wanted to make up with Preminger she had to get back something that had been stolen from her.

She stopped in front of the last cage, and a very familiar man looked at her from inside.

"Your Highness," he greeted her, not troubling to bow. "I see you are recovering."

"I am," Genevieve replied, and a small smile appeared on her face.

But she quickly pushed it away, and replaced it with a resolute look.

"Where is my ring?" she asked.

"What ring?" Peter questioned in an innocent voice.

"The one you stole from me," Genevieve said with a growing impatience. "My wedding ring."

"Oh, you mean this?" Peter asked and pulled a shining golden ring out of his pocket.

"Yes. Give it back," the Queen demanded and stretched out to him.

"Come and get it," Peter said and took a step back to be out of the Queen's reach.

Genevieve looked around to spot someone to use as a security guard, but the only living creature she saw was a small rat running over the floor.

The Queen sighed, and took the key, which was hanging on a hook on the wall.

She unlocked the cage door, and it opened with a squeak.

Genevieve hesitated for a moment, but then stepped decisively into the cage.

"Give it to me," Genevieve said as she walked towards Peter.

"Here," Peter said, and handed the ring to the Queen.

Genevieve was a bit surprised at how easily he gave back the ring.

She looked at the ring to make sure it was the right one. And it was.

Genevieve smiled, and put the ring around her finger again.

"Thank you, Peter," she said, and turned to leave.

Peter quickly stepped in front of her and pushed Genevieve against the wall.

He took the Queen's walking stick and pressed it against her neck.

Genevieve took hold of it and tried to push it away.

But Peter held it strongly against her neck.

"Peter, let me go," Genevieve begged in a feeble voice.

"Now listen, my Queen," Peter said without loosening his grip.

The Queen kept struggling but she was listening.

"First, I want to thank you for releasing me," Peter said.

Genevieve stopped struggling, and looked at the open cage door.

"No," she whispered, scared.

"But I will be back," Peter continued. "And when that happens, you will lose something very precious to you."

Peter let go of the walking stick, and walked out of the cage.

He quickly locked the door and hurried out of the dungeon.

Genevieve leaned against the wall, coughing, and took hold of her hurting neck.

After a couple of minutes, the Queen was breathing normally again.

She took her walking stick, and walked to the cage door.

Genevieve pushed it, but the door didn't open.

"Peter?" the Queen called. "Peter! Let me out!"

She pushed the door again, but nothing changed.

"Hey! Help! Anybody!" Genevieve called again but all she got as reply was an echo, "...body...dy...dy..."

The Queen buried her face in her hands just before tears began to roll down her cheeks.

"How could I have been so foolish?" Genevieve whispered with a sob.

"...foolish...foolish...foolish..." the echo replied.


	46. Do people really change?

After a few hours, the Queen was sitting in the dungeon when she heard someone's voice.

"Queen Genevieve?"

Genevieve looked at the cage door, and saw a guard behind the door.

"Finally someone found me," the Queen said, relieved, and walked to the door. "Please, get me out of here."

"Of course, Your Highness," the guard replied, and stretched out to the hook on the wall.

"Where's the key?" he asked pulling his hand back.

"Oh no, Peter took it," Genevieve mumbled.

"Don't you have another one?" she then asked hopefully.

"I'm sorry, but no," the guard answered. "I'm afraid you have to wait until the blacksmith makes a new one."

"And how long will that take?" the Queen questioned with sadness clearly audible in her voice.

The guard didn't know the answer.

"I know where the key is," a familiar voice said.

"Lilliana?" Genevieve asked looking around.

"Right in front of you," Lilliana said.

The Queen looked out of her cage and into an opposite cage where a dark-haired woman looked at her.

"You knew Peter?" she asked, a bit confused.

"I **know **Peter," Lilliana said like it was obvious. "We've been in the same dungeon for some time. And I was married to his brother. You really think I wouldn't know him?"

"Of course not. I'm sorry, I wasn't thinking," the Queen said in an apologizing tone.

"I see that," Lilliana mumbled. "You never think."

"What?" Genevieve didn't hear her.

"Nothing," Lilliana huffed.

"You said you know where the key is," Genevieve changed the subject.

"Yes?"

"Will you tell me?" the Queen asked hopefully.

"Of course," Lilliana answered. "But I want something in return."

"And what would that be?" Genevieve questioned, but she already knew what the answer was.

"Freedom," the other woman said simply.

"Never," the Queen said with a sound of insolence in her voice.

"Well, then you should get used to my company," Lilliana said. "Because we will be staying in this dungeon together for a very long time."

Genevieve thought for a moment and sighed.

"Alright, I'll let you out," she surrendered. "Where's the key?"

"Promise?"

"I promise."

Lilliana smiled and opened her palm where the key was.

"Peter gave it to me to keep it," she explained and threw the key to the guard.

The man quickly unlocked the Queen's cage door, and Genevieve came out.

She let out a relieved sigh when Lilliana said, "And now, let me out."

"I won't..."

"You gave your word," Lilliana said with a growing anger.

"And now I take it back," the Queen replied. "I will never let you out."

"But you are recovering. You have no reason to be mad at me anymore," Lilliana justified.

"You have injured me five times. Do you really think I'd forgive you just because I'm recovering?" Genevieve said so furiously, it surprised even herself.

"But I helped you," Lilliana continued. "Without me you'd be stuck in this dungeon."

For a few minutes, everyone remained silent as the Queen thought.

Then, she stepped decisively in front of Lilliana's cage and took the key from the wall.

"I hope you have changed," she said, and opened the door.

Lilliana walked out of the cage, and to the surprise of Genevieve hugged the Queen.

Lilliana quickly pulled back, and just smiled at the bit awkward situation.

Then, the two women walked out of the dungeons quietly.

"What are you going to do now?" Genevieve asked.

"I actually don't know," Lilliana answered uncertainly. "First, I want to meet my daughter again."

The dark-haired woman turned towards the castle as the blonde turned towards the garden.

"And where are you going?" Lilliana asked from the Queen.

"I need to find someone," Genevieve answered and walked away to find that "someone".


	47. How to make someone listen

Genevieve walked on a terrace where on a bench sat the King.

The terrace was surrounded by a fence because behind the fence was a steep cliff.

(The kingdom was built high on a mountain top.)

The Queen walked slowly behind her husband and said, "Preminger, I need to talk to you."

Preminger quickly stood up and turned around.

"I don't want to hear anything you have to say to me," he said.

"But if you just listen for once..."

"No. Nothing more from you!" Preminger almost shouted.

He pushed the Queen out of his way and started to walk away.

Genevieve fell on the ground with a small shriek.

Her walking stick fell over the fence and down the cliff.

Preminger stopped to look at his wife.

But the glance was cold and careless.

Genevieve pressed her hands against the ground and sat up.

A small cry escaped from her mouth because her legs were hurting her.

"Enough of your games," Preminger said crossly. "Stand up."

"I can't," Genevieve said, and felt tears filling her eyes.

She tried to get up but collapsed back on the ground.

"You what?" Preminger asked with a bit of concern in his voice.

"My legs aren't strong enough," the Queen replied. "And they are-"

Her shriek gave away what she wanted to say: hurting.

Preminger sighed and squatted beside the Queen.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you," he said apologetically.

"It's okay. I can..."

Genevieve's another try to get up failed, and as she fell back on the ground, tears began to roll down her cheeks.

"Easy," Preminger said reassuringly, and took hold of the Queen.

He lifted her up, and laid her on the bench.

Preminger sat next to Genevieve and said, "I'm listening."

"What?" the Queen asked, confused, as she wiped away her tears.

"You wanted to tell me something," Preminger replied.

"Oh, yes," Genevieve finally understood what Preminger meant.

"This is all a big misunderstanding," she started and looked at her husband.

Preminger gave her a look that said that he was listening.

"I don't know what Peter told you but I have never cheated you," Genevieve said and took Preminger's hand.

The King looked at his wife's hand and saw the wedding ring shining around her finger.

"Peter took it from me," Genevieve explained. "I tried my best to keep it, but my hands were tied, so I couldn't do anything against him."

"But how do you explain your lipstick on his lips?" Preminger asked, still a bit mistrustful. "You must have kissed him."

"**He **kissed me," Genevieve said shivering. "You don't know how much I hated it. But I had no way to stop him."

Preminger moved closer to the Queen, and put his arm around her.

"And what about your legs?" he asked a lot more gently than before.

"I really had no idea I was able to move," Genevieve answered in an honest voice. "I have tried before but I wasn't strong enough. I guess my anger gave me strength."

"And are you still "strong"?" Preminger asked.

"No, not anymore," his wife replied and leaned closer to her husband.

"Good. Because I'm not as well," Preminger said and pulled his wife closer.

"I've missed you," Genevieve whispered.

"I've missed you too," Preminger replied quietly. "You have no idea how much."

Giving her the chance to pull away, Preminger gently pressed his lips against Genevieve's.

The Queen closed her eyes and let the pleasant feeling rush through her as she kissed her beloved husband.

* * *

The two lovebirds sat there and watched as the sun set.

As the first stars started to appear in the sky, they walked back to the castle, still holding on to each other.

_"I guess love is what gives me strength now."_


	48. An unexpected old friend

In the morning Genevieve and Preminger went to the dining room together.

The Queen had taken a new walking stick because it was still insecure to walk without it.

Princess Anneliese and Julian were already sitting at the table as the two came into the room.

As were Adella and Lilliana.

"Good morning," Genevieve greeted everyone as she and Preminger sat down.

"Good morning, Mother," Anneliese replied for all. "I see you and Preminger are getting along now," she added.

The Queen and King smiled at each other and Genevieve said, "We are. It was all a big misunderstanding. But everything is fine now."

Then, she gave Lilliana a bit confused look.

Adella noticed it and hurried to explain.

"I invited my Mother to eat breakfast with us," she said. "And I was thinking, since we have so much room in this castle, couldn't she live here with us?"

Genevieve, surprised by the question, looked at her husband as if she was hoping to find an answer.

But she couldn't find it on the King's face so she looked at Adella instead.

The Princess smiled her adorable smile but in her eyes was a begging spark.

The Queen couldn't look past the girl's lovely and hopeful face, and then she knew the answer.

"Of course she can live here," Genevieve said. "Lilliana is a part of our family too."

If the Queen hadn't sat across the table, Adella would have hugged her.

But as the Queen was too far, she embraced her Mother instead.

"Thank you, Your Highness," Lilliana said when her daughter let go of her.

"Yes, thank you so much," Adella added.

Genevieve just smiled as reply.

The other three royals looked at the Queen in surprise.

"Aren't you angry with her anymore?" Preminger asked.

"How did she even get out of prison?" Julian questioned before Genevieve could answer the last question.

"It's a long story," the Queen said and smiled at Lilliana. "But we are even now."

Then, the Queen suddenly remembered that she hadn't told anyone about Peter.

But before she could say anything, Anneliese changed the subject.

"Our wedding planning is going very well," the Princess said. "We are..."

She was cut off by a knock on the door and a servant stepping in.

"I'm very sorry to interrupt, Your Majesties. (And not Majesty.)" the servant said. "But you have visitors. They are waiting in the throne room."

"Who?" Julian asked, but the servant had already left.

* * *

The royals entered the throne room, and their questioning looks turned into wide smiles.

Except Preminger and Lilliana's.

The Princesses rushed to the young woman in the middle of the room, and would have almost pushed her over as they hugged her.

They curtsied before the man next to her and then turned back to the girl.

"It's been such a long time since we last saw each other," Annelise said.

"It sure has," the visitor said. "And Adella, I wasn't expecting to see you here."

"Well, everything has changed a lot since we last met," Adella replied. "Now that my Father is the King I get to live here as well."

Just as the girl was starting to say something she recognized one more familiar face.

The Queen had stopped before her, and without hesitation the girl embraced her.

"Welcome back, Erika," Genevieve said as the brown-haired girl let go of her.

The Queen bowed her head respectfully as she looked at the King next to them.

Everyone greeted King Dominic and Erika happily until Erika's smile faded.

She was looking at the short King at the door.

"Is there something I don't know about?" the girl asked as she looked at the Queen's walking stick.

"There definitely is," Anneliese answered. "We'll tell you everything. But the first thing you should know is that Preminger has changed. So there is no need to worry."

"Well, that's a relief," Erika sighed.

"How do you two know each other?" Anneliese questioned as she looked at Adella, and then at Erika.

"We used to work together," Erika answered. "At Madam Carp's."

"Until I decided to leave," Adella continued. "Because Madam _Cruel_ was too strict."

"I remember that," Anneliese replied with a chuckle.

"So, what brings you here?" Adella asked as they started to walk out of the room.

"Dominic and I are getting married in a week," Erika answered and smiled at her fiance. "And-"

"What a coincidence!" Anneliese cut her friend off. "Julian and I were planning our wedding in a week as well."

"That's what I wanted to tell you before they came," the Princess added, noticing her Mother's surprised look.

"Well, I think it's fantastic!" Adella said. "How about a double wedding?"

"You mean like two couples in one wedding?" Erika asked.

"Sure. It would be great," Adella said.

The other two girls looked at each other as if they were thinking of an answer but they already knew what it was.

"Of course," Erika and Annelise said in unison.

The girls looked at the Queen as if they were waiting for a permission to leave.

"You should get to planning then," Genevieve said as if she could read their minds.

_Yesss!_

The girls hurried out of the room, pulling their fiances with them.

"We'll see you later, Mother!" Anneliese said before she closed the door after her.

Lilliana walked to the Queen, giggling. "I remember my excitement before my first wedding," she said.

"I do, too," Genevieve replied.

"Can't say the same about my last one," she sighed.

"I'm sorry, my dear," Preminger said as he stopped before the Queen.

"It doesn't matter," Genevieve said and changed the subject. "Are you still angry with Erika?"

"Yes," Preminger answered. "She ruined my plans. Twice."

"But you must admit she did you a favour," Genevieve said. "Thanks to her we are together now."

"You may be right," Preminger said and pulled his wife closer. "She did me a huge favour."

Genevieve giggled.

Then, she looked at Lilliana, and said quietly to her husband, "Preminger, not now."

"It's okay," Lilliana said and turned to leave. "Don't mind me."

She walked out of the room to leave the two together.

This time she wasn't angry to see the Queen with _"her husband"._


	49. Stranger, friend or relative

The next morning, when Princess Anneliese was taking her morning stroll in the royal park, she noticed a stranger.

A girl with long blonde hair was sitting on a bench, and looking at something in her hand.

"Hello. Can I help you?" the Princess asked as she walked closer.

"Yes," the stranger answered, and stood up.

She bowed before the Princess. "Your Highness."

"There's no need to bow," Anneliese said and sat down with the girl. "How can I help?"

"Well..."

The girl didn't know where to start.

"My name is Nora," the blonde started. "I came to this kingdom to search for my biological parents."

Anneliese was a bit surprised at the girl's outspokenness, but she didn't say anything and kept listening.

"When I was adopted, I was left one baby picture of me," Nora continued. "And my Mother is on that picture too."

She looked hopefully at the Princess.

"You are the Princess right? So you must know almost everyone in this kingdom," Nora said.

"Not everyone," Anneliese replied with a small chuckle. "But I know pretty much."

"Then I was hoping if you'd recognize this woman," Nora said and gave Anneliese the small picture.

There was a small baby on the picture who was held by a woman. But where was supposed to be the woman's head the picture had been cut.

"But she has no head," Anneliese said.

"That's the problem," Nora said sadly. "But I have thought about her dress. She is probably royal."

The woman on the picture had a purple gown with a high collar.

"I must admit, the dress does seem familiar," the Princess said. "But where from?"

As she was thinking, she looked towards the castle, and saw the King and Queen entering the castle.

The Queen waved to her daughter, and then she was out of sight.

"Mother..." the Princess mumbled.

"What?" the other girl questioned confusedly.

"My Mother, the Queen, has a dress just like it," Anneliese said as she handed the picture back to Nora.

"Do you mean it might be her?" Nora asked hopefully.

"I don't think so," the Princess replied. "There is probably more dresses like this than my Mother's. And she has never told me that she has another daughter. She wouldn't lie about that."

Anneliese stood up. "I'm sorry, but I can't help you."

"Okay," Nora sighed. "Thank you anyway."

As the girl started to walk away, Anneliese said, "You mentioned that you came from another kingdom. Do you have a place to stay?"

"I actually don't," Nora answered as she turned back to the Princess. "I was hoping to find someone kind enough to give me a place to stay today."

"You know, there's room in the castle," Anneliese said. "And if you want you can ask from the Queen about the picture."

A wide smile slipped on Nora's face.

"Oh, thank you," she said.

"It's nothing," the Princess said as she led her new friend towards the castle. "I like visitors. Especially when they are as nice as you."


	50. Two answers

Half an hour later, Nora was walking in the castle hall.

Princess Anneliese had given her a beautiful big room to stay in, and had become a good friend.

But Nora's mood wasn't very good.

She needed answers.

And because of that she knocked on the Queen's room's door.

When no one came to open, Nora opened the door and peeked in.

There was nobody in the room.

Nora looked around in the hall and when she didn't spot anybody, she stepped into the Queen's room.

She walked around in the room aimlessly until she stopped before Genevieve's nightstand.

On the nightstand, in a golden frame, was a picture of the royal family: Queen Genevieve, the former King and Princess Anneliese.

And the Princess was right, the Queen wore the same dress as the woman on her picture.

Nora didn't know why she did it but she started to open the drawers.

She scoured each one of them.

She didn't know what she was looking for, but she was sure that if the Queen was her Mother then there had to be some proof about it.

But she didn't find anything of the sort.

As she turned towards the desk, she accidentally hit the family picture on the nightstand and it fell on the floor.

The glass before the picture broke into smithereens and the picture fell out of the frame.

Nora mumbled something crossly and took the picture from among the smithereens.

To her surprise, there were two pictures.

The other one had been hidden behind the family picture.

Nora recognized the picture immediately and took out her own picture.

She set her picture on the new one and they matched perfectly.

Only that this time Nora could see the woman's face.

"Queen Genevieve," she mumbled. "Queen Genevieve is my Mother."

As she stood there in shock, she heard footsteps coming towards the room.

Nora quickly looked around to find a hiding place, and the only one she could find was a wardrobe.

She ran to it and hid behind it's door just as the Queen stepped into the room.

She stared at the door for a moment in confusion.

She distinctly remembered that she had left it closed.

Then she shrugged, and closed the door.

As she started to walk towards her desk, Genevieve's look stopped at the floor in front of her bed.

The floor was covered with glass smithereens and in the middle of it was her family picture and the picture frame.

The Queen sighed and walked to the mess.

As she squatted beside the smithereens and took the picture, she was shocked to find only one picture.

Genevieve looked into the frame, under the nightstand and the bed, but the picture wasn't there.

"Where is it?" she mumbled with a bit of sadness, but mostly nervousness in her voice.

Nora tried to stay as quiet as possible and looked at the picture in her hand.

She knew what the Queen was looking for.

Genevieve was ready to burst into tears when she looked towards her wardrobe and saw someone's dress edge.

The Queen quickly stood up and said firmly, "I know you're there. Come out!"

Nora sighed and walked to the Queen.

"What are you doing here?" Genevieve asked with anger clearly audible in her voice.

"I'm very sorry to break into your room," Nora apologized.

"What do you want from here?" the Queen asked again.

As Nora didn't know how to make it sound better, she said, "I came to your kingdom to find my biological parents."

"And did you find anything?" Genevieve asked indifferently.

"Yes," Nora answered. "I found my Mother."

"Then why aren't you with her?" the Queen questioned. "Why are you here?"

"Because this Mother is right here," Nora said and showed the Queen the picture.

Genevieve's heart missed one beat.

"We both know who the baby on the picture is," the girl continued as she looked the Queen straight in the eye. "Mother."

The Queen felt dizzy and scared.

For a minute she couldn't say anything.

When she felt that she can talk again, she asked in a shivering voice, "Where did you find this?"

"You know the answer," Nora said. "Why do you ask?"

She saw the shock and fear in the Queen's eyes.

Finally, Genevieve pulled herself together and said, "It is not true."

"What?" Nora asked with confusion. "But the picture..."

"Ah yes, the picture," the Queen repeated and took the picture from Nora's hand. "With me and a baby."

She looked at the picture for a moment and then tore it into pieces.

Nora watched with horror as the Queen's firm hands tore the precious picture and threw the pieces on the floor.

"There is no such picture," Genevieve said with an irreverent smile. "And I am not your Mother."


	51. Dangerous anger

"What have you done?!" Nora said with anguish. "This picture was the only proof that..."

"I am not your Mother," Genevieve said again as firmly as she could.

"Liar!" Nora shouted at the Queen.

Genevieve was shocked at what she heard.

No one had ever insulted her like that.

"You are my Mother, I know it," Nora said as a tear rolled down her cheek. "And I will prove it."

"Nora, you can't..."

"And you know my name," the girl continued. "But I didn't tell you."

Genevieve realized with fright that it was true.

As she was thinking of an explanation, Nora ran to the door, and said, "I will prove that I'm your daughter. Somehow."

Then she was out of sight.

Genevieve stood still and thought of following the girl.

It was then when she realized what she had done to the picture.

The Queen squatted on the floor, and picked up the picture pieces.

As she looked at what she had done, a tear escaped from her eye.

* * *

Nora ran down the hall towards her room, crying.

As she passed a group of royals, Princess Anneliese asked, "What's wrong?"

Nora kept running without answering.

"Nora!" the Princess called again, but the blonde girl had already disappeared into her room.

Nora walked around in her room aimlessly and muttered, "I am her daughter, I know it. I know it."

As she wiped away her tears, she accidentally walked into her desk.

A candlestick on the table fell over and the tablecloth caught fire.

"No, no, no," Nora mumbled as she tried to put out the fire.

But the next moment the curtains took fire as well and so did the bookshelf.

Nora didn't know how to stop the fire, so she just rushed out of her room to find someone braver and smarter.

* * *

The Princesses, King Dominic, Julian and Erika were walking down the hall when Julian scented the smell of smoke.

"Can you smell this?" he asked from others. "I think something is burning."

"It is getting hot in here," Erika noticed.

Just as she said it, the doors were flung open, and Nora ran towards them.

Behind her everyone could see the rushing flames.

The girls shrieked, but the men started to look for the fastest way out.

Julian took hold of one chair and smashed a window with it.

(The window couldn't be opened another way.)

They were lucky to be on the ground floor.

King Dominic jumped out of the window and caught each one of the girls as they jumped as well.

The last one out was Julian, and if he had been a bit slower, his clothes would have caught fire as well.

When they were all out they quickly walked away from the burning castle.

They saw many firemen and regular men rushing in and out of the castle with water buckets.

And they saw many servants and maids coming out of the castle with frightened looks on their faces.

Preminger came hurriedly from the royal park.

"What happened?" he asked when he met the other royals. "Is everyone okay?"

"Yes," King Dominic answered, and put a reassuring hand on his fiancee's shoulder.

"Has anyone seen my Mother?" Anneliese asked in a scared voice.

"And mine?" Adella added.

"And mine?" Nora thought.

"They must still be in the castle," Julian said, causing the Princesses to gasp.


	52. Scared but still loyal

Lilliana ran down the hall to find a way out.

Burning flames in every direction scared her, and it was hard to breathe because of the smoke.

When she felt that she will soon faint she noticed the window from where the other royals had went out.

As she was going to jump out, she heard someone's cry.

It came from the Queen's room a few meters away.

Lilliana hesitated for a moment, but then ran away from the window and towards the Queen's room.

The fire had spread fast, and Lilliana didn't even need to open the room's door.

Because there was no door anymore.

* * *

"We have to find them," Erika said.

"You are not going in there," King Dominic said, and pointed at the burning castle.

"But..."

"We'll leave it to the firemen," Julian said. "They'll find them."

Adella and Anneliese looked at each other in despair with only one question in their eyes: Were their Mothers still alive?

* * *

Genevieve stood beside her bed in fear of burning, but she couldn't move.

She dragged her dress, which was bogged to her bed somehow.

The flames had reached the bed and were about to start burning the Queen's dress, and along with it the Queen.

Genevieve was about to give up when Lilliana rushed in.

"Lilliana, you must get out of here!" the Queen said as the dark-haired woman ran towards her.

"Not without you," Lilliana replied and squatted beside the Queen.

Before Genevieve could say anything, Lilliana tore off her dress edge and the Queen was free.

Lilliana quickly stood up and took her hand.

"Come now," she said, and pulled the Queen towards the door.

Genevieve, surprised by the sudden move, accidentally dropped her walking stick.

As she reached out for it, she said, "Wait! My..."

"There's no time for that," Lilliana hurried her up.

"But I can't walk without it. I will fall," Genevieve justified, but Lilliana kept pulling her towards the door.

"Lean on me," Lilliana said, and put her arm around the Queen.

The Queen put her arm around the other woman, and they ran out of the room.

When they got to the corridor they saw two firemen shadows in the other end of the corridor, but between them were angry burning flames.

Lilliana led the Queen to the window and told her to jump out.

As Genevieve climbed on the windowsill she lost her balance and fell out of the window.

With a small shriek, she landed in a bush.

* * *

Princess Adella was asking from a few maids about the Queen when Nora heard a small scream.

"Did you hear that?" she asked from the others.

"It sounded like the Queen," Anneliese said, and the royals rushed towards where they had heard the shriek, the castle.

Anneliese was the first to notice the Queen in the bush.

"Mother!" she shrieked and rushed to the bush.

"Are you okay?" the Princess asked as she pushed away the branches to help her Mother out of the bush.

Genevieve's head was hurting and so were her legs. Actually, every part of her was in pain.

But at least she was alive.

"Oh, my head..." she muttered as she sat up.

Then it came to her mind what had happened and she asked, "Lilliana! Is she alright?"

"She must still be inside," Julian believed.

"But she'll burn in there," Adella worried.

"I would if I were really there."

Everyone jumped at the female voice, and turned around.

And there was Lilliana.

Okay, a bit grimy, but okay.

"Mother!" Adella exclaimed and embraced her Mother. "I was so worried," she whispered.

"Everything is fine now," Lilliana said when the Princess let go of her.

Anneliese helped the Queen up.

"Oh, I thought you might be needing this," Lilliana said and gave the Queen her walking stick. "**Now** we are even."

Genevieve took it with a surprised look and nodded as thanks.

"But how did you..." the Queen started to ask, but the dark-haired woman had already walked off.


	53. Frightening revenge

A few hours later everyone was allowed to go back to the castle.

Thanks to the firemen only a small part of the castle got burned. Including Nora's and Genevieve's rooms, a few maid rooms and two corridors. So, not much since the castle was huge.

The Queen and King stayed in one of the guest rooms while their room was being repaired.

Nora was given a new guest room to stay overnight and she did it gladly. In the morning she thanked everyone, even the Queen, behaving like the little conversation between them hadn't taken place, and left the castle with a promise to come back to visit her new friends some day.

* * *

After lunch Genevieve and Preminger went to Princess Anneliese's room.

"Anneliese!" the Queen called. "Anneliese, darling, are you here?"

The Princess hadn't been at lunch.

"Where could she be?" Genevieve asked from her husband even though she knew he didn't know the answer. "I haven't seen her since Nora left."

"There's something on her desk," Preminger noted and took a letter from the desk.

"A letter to me?" the Queen questioned as Preminger gave it to her.

"But probably not from your daughter," the King said. "Considering the handwriting."

"I hope you don't have anything to do with it this time," Genevieve joked.

"Not this time," Preminger replied, remembering the last time he had given the Queen a letter in that room.

For some reason Genevieve had a bad premonition, but she unfolded the letter and read it.

Preminger watched as his wife turned pale and asked, "Are you alright, my dear?"

"I'm..."

The Queen couldn't finish her sentence for she collapsed on the floor instead.

Her husband quickly squatted beside her but Genevieve had fainted.

Preminger tried to wake her up, but when he was unsuccessful he took the letter from his wife's hand.

The message was short and simple:

_Here is my revenge._

_You lost something very precious to you._

The King reread the letter a few times but didn't get the hang of the message.

Then, he saw that the Queen was waking up.

Preminger helped his wife to sit up and said, "I read the letter but I don't get it."

Genevieve's lips were trembling, and she managed to say only one word, "Peter."

"That's not possible," Preminger said after a moment of silence. "Peter is in prison."

"Not anymore," the Queen said in a quiet voice. "I forgot to tell you that he escaped."

"But how?" the King asked as he helped his wife up off the ground.

"I let him out," Genevieve said, and would have almost fallen again for Preminger let go of her in surprise.

"What?" came a confused word.

"It was an accident," the Queen explained. "I was getting back my ring and..."

She sighed.

"It was because of my own foolishness."

"It doesn't matter right now," Preminger said, to the surprise of Genevieve, without even a hint of anger. "We need to find them."

The two started to walk towards the door as Preminger made plans, "We'll send out the search parties. Not that they ever find anything. You, my dear, must direct them to the place where he hid you, even though he probably won't be using the same place again."

"No, I'm afraid he will kill her," Genevieve interrupted her husband's train of thought.

"Don't think that. Be more positive," Preminger said. "I'm sure we'll find her."


	54. New plan and shock

The news spread fast, and soon everyone knew about the missing Princess.

The search parties were sent out, but everyone knew that they were never very successful.

* * *

"I wish there was something we could do," Erika said when the royals met in the throne room.

"If we'll leave it to the search parties, we'll never see Anneliese again," Adella added.

"Where's the Queen?" Lilliana asked from Preminger, noticing that there were only six people in the room.

"She's in her room," Preminger answered. "She is not very helpful in her condition."

"Oh yes, she must be very worried too," Adella said. "Should I go and try to comfort her?"

"I say we go and find Anneliese," Julian replied.

"And how exactly do you plan on doing that?" asked King Dominic.

"Well, I have a little talent on finding people," Julian answered. You couldn't say that he said it proudly.

"And I have luck," Adella added.

Everyone agreed with that for it had been Adella who had found the Queen.

"So, where do we begin?" Erika asked, ready to go.

"We begin from the ground," Julian answered, and started to walk out of the room.

Everyone gave him a confused look, but followed the Prince out of the throne room.

Everyone but Lilliana and Preminger.

"I do hope we can find the Princess," Lilliana said as she started to walk where the others had went.

"I do too," Preminger replied.

* * *

Genevieve had gotten over her first shock, and walked around the castle to find Preminger.

And she did find him, but not the way she had hoped.

The Queen walked into the throne room, and saw something terrifying.

A few meters away stood Preminger and Lilliana.

They were kissing.

Lilliana spot the Queen, and pushed Preminger away, but Genevieve had seen enough.

Without saying a word, she turned around and rushed out of the room.

Genevieve tried to hold back her crying until she was somewhere alone, but the tears didn't wait for the Queen's permission and started to roll down her cheeks.

When Genevieve ran away, Preminger rushed behind her, pleading her to stop.

He and Lilliana both felt bad for what they had done.

It had just been an "accident".

* * *

Genevieve slammed her room's door shut, and sat on a couch.

She buried her face in her hands to suppress her crying.

She heard the door opening, and the King walked slowly to her.

"Genevieve, I can explain," Preminger said quietly.

"I don't want to hear your explanations," Genevieve replied, and gave her husband a furious glance. "I want you to leave me alone."

"Please, if you just listen..."

"Go!" the Queen shouted to the surprise of Preminger, and even herself. "Now!"

The King nodded slightly, and walked away slowly.

"If you change your mind, please let me know," he said before leaving. "Because I can explain."

When the door closed after the King, Genevieve burst into tears again.


	55. The Princess and the Peter

Julian squatted in front of the castle, and studied the carriage tracks on the ground.

"So, you're saying we track the Princess?" King Dominic questioned.

"That's right," Julian answered as he stood up. "No other carriages left the castle today. It had to be Peter. And if we find him..."

"...we find the Princess," Adella finished for him.

"Then what are we waiting for?" Erika asked. "Let's go."

"Have you seen the Queen?" Preminger's voice interrupted.

Everyone turned towards the castle doors from where the King came.

"She's not in her room anymore?" Lilliana asked and the King shook his head.

"What's the matter with that?" Adella questioned. "Can't the Queen wander around by herself?"

"I'm just afraid she will do something stupid in her condition," Preminger replied in a bit worried tone.

"The Queen has a strong mind, and she's not stupid," Erika said. "But still, I think it would be best if we'd find her."

"You're right, her condition is pretty bad," Lilliana agreed for she knew about the incident between the Queen, Preminger and her.

"Dominic and I will stay here and help look for the Queen," Erika decided. "The rest of you, find Anneliese."

The others agreed, and turned to leave as Erika gave Adella a small hug.

"Be careful, okay?" Erika said.

"Of course," Adella replied, and left with the others.

Erika and the Kings went into the castle to look for the Queen.

* * *

Anneliese sat in a carriage with Peter, not knowing where they were going.

Just before lunch Peter had came into her room, and asked her to come with him.

Of course Anneliese knew it was Peter not Preminger, but she followed the man to find out more about his plan.

But she didn't notice Peter slipping a letter on her desk.

The carriage stopped not far from the castle, near a cliff.

On a small table in the carriage were two glasses and a bottle of white wine.

"I thought we should get to know each other better," Peter said, believing that the Princess thought he was the King, and gave her one of the glasses.

Anneliese took the glass silently, and stared at it.

Wasn't it weird that Peter gave her a drink?

The Princess looked at him and saw a strange eager look in his eyes. Anneliese looked around to find a reason for it, and saw a small bottle in Peter's pocket.

Now it was sure, that had to be some kind of poison.

The Princess thought for a moment of a way to skip the drinking, and then put her glass on the table again.

Before Peter could protest, she pulled her ring form her finger and said, "Here. A little gift, memento or whatever you'd like to call it."

Peter put his glass on the table as well, and the Princess gave her ring to him.

"Thank you," the man mumbled in a slight confusion.

Anneliese tried to smile, and took **Peter's **glass.

Peter put the ring on the table, and took the other glass.

"Cheers!" he said and they both took a sip of their wine.

Then Peter smiled and said, "Ah, Your Highness, what a naive girl. In only a few moments there will be one less happy young girl living in this kingdom."

Not afraid of revealing his plan because the girl would die, he added, "Because there was poison in your glass."

To the surprise of Peter, Anneliese took another sip from her glass.

"Are you sure it was me who drank it?" she asked with a confident smile.

Peter told himself not to believe what he had heard, but when his hands started trembling, and he had to put his glass on the table to not drop it, he discovered with fear that it was true.

"You switched the glasses?" he questioned quietly.

"Of course I did," Anneliese answered, and took her ring from the table. "Why do you think I'd give **you **my ring?"

"To distract me," Peter replied as the Princess put the ring around her finger again.

"You must get a doctor for me," Peter said in a quiet and frightened voice. "Please."

Of course Anneliese would have called a doctor, but before she could do anything the carriage started moving.

"Where is it going?" Peter questioned.

"You don't know?" the Princess asked. "But it's your carriage, your horse."

"No," Peter said as a reply.

Anneliese opened the door and looked out.

There was no horse anymore, and the carriage was rushing down a slope towards a cliff.

"We need to jump, now!" the Princess shouted and was about to take Peter's hand to pull him out of the carriage with her.

But before she reached the man's hand, she lost her balance and fell out of the carriage.

Her head hit a rock and she instantly fell asleep.

But the carriage rushed to the cliff and fell down.

A huge crash sounded as the carriage hit the ground and wrecked.


	56. Suicide or not

After an hour of tracking Julian, Adella and Lilliana stopped on a slope because the tracks stopped.

Ahead was a rocky ground and a few bushes.

As the others looked around to find a clue of the carriage's way, Lilliana walked to the cliff.

"I think you should see this," she said, and Julian walked to her.

They looked down the cliff at the wrecked carriage.

"Do you think she's down there?" Lilliana asked with fright in her voice.

"No," Adella answered.

Julian and Lilliana turned around, and saw the Princess squatting near a bush.

"She's here," Adella added, and the others came closer.

Behind the bush lay Anneliese.

She was waking up from her unconsciousness as her fiance squatted beside her.

When she finally woke up, she received a loving hug from Julian.

"We were so worried about you," he said when he let go of the Princess.

"Everything's fine now," Anneliese replied with a smile.

"But what about Peter?" Adella asked.

"Well, except that he got poisoned, fell off the cliff along with the carriage and died, he's fine," the Princess answered.

"How did he get poisoned?" Lilliana asked.

"I'll tell you on the way home," Anneliese answered.

Two horses came from behind some trees and stopped in front of the royals.

"Hey, these are the horses that used to pull Peter's carriage," the Princess noted.

"Maybe they can give us a ride," Adella thought.

Julian and Anneliese climbed on one of the horses, Adella and Lilliana on the other, and rode back towards the castle.

* * *

Preminger, Erika and Dominic had searched all of the castle but there was no sign of the Queen.

Finally, when Preminger went out of the castle's backdoor, he found Genevieve's walking stick on the ground.

With a bad premonition, he looked around to spot the Queen.

And he did.

She was standing on a cliff edge not far from the castle.

Preminger left the walking stick behind and rushed towards the Queen.

"Genevieve!" he called when he stopped a couple of meters before the Queen.

Genevieve turned around to face her husband.

There was a strange distant look in her eyes. A look that made her totally different from the woman she really was. A look that even made the King shiver.

"Don't do this," Preminger said slowly, knowing that the Queen was planning a suicide.

"Why not?" Genevieve questioned in an unconcerned, simple voice. "My life is not worth living anymore."

The other royals came out of the castle. Anneliese, Julian, Adella and Lilliana had just arrived back.

Now, when they saw the King and Queen on the cliff edge, they hurried to them as well.

But Preminger and Genevieve didn't notice them.

"You don't need me anymore," the Queen continued. "Go back to Lilliana, I won't be holding you back."

The royals came closer as the Queen fired out another reason to take her life.

"My daughter is gone. This time forever," Genevieve said. "And I gave away my other daughter, and now I've lost her too."

"Other daughter?" Anneliese questioned when she stopped beside Preminger.

The others stayed a bit farther.

"Anneliese, you... But how..." the Queen stuttered in surprise and confusion. "Peter..."

"He won't be bothering us anymore," Anneliese interrupted. "I'll tell you everything, I promise. Just, please, get away from that edge."

"But I..." Genevieve didn't know what to say or do. All her thoughts twirled around in her head.

"Mother, please, come here," Anneliese pleaded and stretched out her hand. "Come to me."

Her daughter's begging look and forming tears in her eyes told Genevieve to listen to her daughter.

After all, one of her reasons to commit a suicide was gone.

"Come to me, Mother," the Princess said again, slowly and persuasively, changing her Mother's mind.

But just as the Queen took a step towards her family, the cliff under her feet broke off from the rest of the cliff...


	57. Family after all

Just as the Queen took a step towards her family, the cliff under her feet broke off from the rest of the cliff.

Genevieve made a big jump and landed in her daughter's embrace.

Safe.

They took a few steps away from the cliff edge, and all the royals surrounded them.

Genevieve hid her face in her daughter's shoulder as tears of shame escaped from her eyes.

"It's alright, you're safe now," Anneliese said quietly as she caressed her Mother's head.

"I was so worried," the Queen sobbed. "And lost."

"Everything's okay now," the Princess whispered. "We're all here for you."

* * *

The next morning, a visitor came to see the Queen.

Genevieve had assured everyone that she is fine now and won't be threatening her life anymore.

"You sent for me, Your Majesty?" Nora, the visitor, said with a bow.

"Yes," the Queen answered. "Come sit, my dear."

Genevieve led the girl to a couch, and they sat down next to each other.

"A couple of days ago you showed me a picture with you and me," the Queen started, a bit afraid of the girl's reaction. "And you were right, we are a family. And I am your Mother."

Nora's eyes widened at the Queen's confession.

"You are?" she asked, not believing what she heard.

"I'm sorry that I caused you so much pain," Genevieve said in an apologizing tone. "But giving you away was the only way."

"But why?" Nora asked. "Didn't you love me?"

"I did, I still do," the Queen assured her. "That's why I gave you away."

The girl looked confused and Genevieve continued.

"That way you were loved by both of your parents," she explained. "It wouldn't have been like that if I had raised you."

The Queen took her shocked daughter's hands fondly and a small smile slipped on the girl's face.

"I was young and fool," Genevieve said. "But if I had another chance, I wouldn't change anything. You got a good life."

The last sentence reminded Nora of something, but she didn't know what.

"Funny," the Queen said with a small chuckle. "The last words I told you before I gave you to your new parents were, "Have a good life...""

"...my sweet little princess," Nora finished for her.

"That's right," Genevieve said in surprise. "How did you know?"

"I always thought it was a dream," Nora replied. "A young blonde woman with a hood bowing oven me. She kissed my forehead and said these words."

"It was not a dream," the Queen said for all Nora had said had really happened. "It was a memory."

"My favourite one," Nora said, but then her smile faded.

"But why didn't you tell me?" she asked, thinking that maybe her Mother didn't want her anymore.

"I was afraid," Genevieve sighed. "Afraid of the pain of losing you again."

The most loving smile slipped on Nora's face, and she embraced her Mother.

This time she knew it was really her Mother.

Genevieve felt great delight of hugging her long lost daughter once again.

"You'll never lose me again," Nora whispered to her Mother without letting go of her.

"What do you mean?" the Queen asked when they finally let go of each other.

"Well, my parents, I mean stepparents, are dead," the girl explained. "So I have no reason to go anywhere."

"You can stay here in the castle," Genevieve offered with excitement.

"I'd love that," Nora replied and hugged her Mother again.

"I have only one more question," she said when she let go of the Queen.

"And what would that be?" Genevieve asked.

"Who is my father?"

The question Genevieve had feared to hear sounded.

The Queen looked away, thinking of a way to skip the answering.

"Mother, who is he?" Nora asked again patiently.

Genevieve shook her head telling the girl that she won't tell her.

"Who is my father?" the girl asked for the third time, slowly but firmly.

The Queen sighed. There was no way to keep it to herself anymore.

So she said in a trembling, hesitant voice: "Your father is..."

Another hesitation.

"...King Preminger."

A glass shattered on the floor.


	58. Shameful truth

The Queen's and her daughter's heads turned towards the door where Princess Anneliese stood in the middle of glass smithereens and water.

"What did you just say?!" she asked, hoping that she is not shouting.

"I..." Genevieve's words trailed off. "It's the truth," she said quietly, looking down to not see the Princess's reaction.

"You mean you cheated my Father with **him**?" Anneliese asked as she sat down on a nearby chair.

The Queen nodded her head silently.

"You had an affair with Preminger all these years ago?" the Princess questioned again, still not believing what she heard.

This time Genevieve shook her head.

"It was only one night," she started quietly. "He probably doesn't even remember it."

"Does he know?" Nora asked.

"You are the only ones who know," the Queen replied.

Without a word the Princess stood up to leave.

"Anneliese, I know how you feel right now," Genevieve said. "But I just..."

"No, you don't know," Anneliese interrupted in an angry voice. "You are the one who was unfaithful and lied."

The Queen gasped at her daughter's insult.

"Traitor!" the Princess shouted, and stormed out of the room.

"Anneliese..." Genevieve said before the doors closed. "...please."

The doors closed with a slam and the Queen sighed. "I knew this was going to happen."

"I'll go and talk to her," Nora promised, and placed her hand on her Mother's shoulder.

"I don't blame you for what you did," she said softly. "I thank you."

Genevieve turned her tearful face to look up at her daughter.

Smiling widely, Nora hugged her Mother, and stood up.

"You should talk to Preminger," she said before leaving to see the Princess.

The Queen sighed, Nora was right.

* * *

Genevieve knocked on a guest room's door and entered without a call.

"Preminger, we need to talk," she said as the King came towards her.

"Yes, we do," Preminger replied. "What happened between me and Lilliana didn't mean anything. It was just like, I don't know, reminding old times or..."

"I know," the Queen interrupted.

"You do?" Preminger asked in confusion.

"I didn't come to talk about that," Genevieve said and sat down on a couch.

"Okay, what did I do now?" the King asked after hearing the Queen's tone.

"Nothing," Genevieve answered. "It was probably both of us."

Preminger sat down next to her and gave her a look that said that she may continue.

"I don't know if you remember," Genevieve started timidly. "The night in the boathouse twenty years ago."

"How could I forget the best night of my life?" Preminger asked, telling her that he remembered.

"Well..." the Queen didn't know how to continue. "The fact is..." she pulled herself together. "...we have a daughter."

The King looked at her in surprise without saying anything.

"Nora is our daughter," Genevieve added.

Now that it was said she was ready for her husband's reaction. Whatever it would be like.

"You mean you kept my own daughter away from me for all these years?" Preminger asked with a growing anger when he was finally able to talk. "My child!"

"I did it for both of us," Genevieve justified. "We were both married."

"How did you even keep it as a secret?" the King asked trying to sound calmer. "How is that King Nicolas didn't notice that you were pregnant?"

"He did," Genevieve replied. "I told him the truth, without mentioning your name. And he forgave me. Giving Nora away was a punishment harsh enough."

"But why didn't you tell me when we finally got married?" Preminger asked in a much calmer voice.

"I didn't think it mattered," the Queen answered. "It was too late to change anything."

"And to think I would have killed you," Preminger mumbled quietly.

"I know it's much to ask, but can you forgive me?" Genevieve asked shyly, but hopefully.

"If you'll forgive me," the King replied.

The Queen nodded and a tear of joy escaped her eye.

"Then we're good," Preminger said and embraced his wife. "And wow! I mean, we have a daughter. Isn't it great?"

"It is," Genevieve replied with a soft chuckle. "The best thing that could happen."


	59. Sisters

Princess Anneliese sat on her bed with tears in her eyes.

Someone knocked on the door.

"If you're my Mother, you can go away!" the Princess shouted. "I don't want to see you!"

"I'm your sister," the girl behind the door replied.

"Come in, Nora," Anneliese said in a quieter voice.

Nora came in and sat beside her sister quietly.

The girls sat in silence for neither of them knew what to say.

"I've always dreamed of being a Princess," Nora started, to not touch the important subject much.

Anneliese didn't reply.

"I used to imagine that my birthmark somehow related me to the royal family," the other girl continued.

This time the Princess looked at her with a bit confused look.

"What birthmark?" she questioned.

Nora pulled her dress from her shoulder, revealing a crown-shaped birthmark.

Anneliese gasped as she looked at Nora's shoulder.

"What?" Nora asked, not understanding what surprised the Princess so much.

Anneliese showed her her shoulder where was the exact same birthmark.

"Wow!" was all Nora said.

"I always thought it was something that made me unique," the Princess said.

"You are unique," her sister assured her. "We are all unique. And sometimes we have to forgive each other for our uniquenesses."

"You're talking about Mother, right?" Anneliese asked.

"Why are you even so mad at her?" Nora questioned.

"It's just that..." the Princess sighed. "I've always thought of her like an honest and faithful Mother. She was the perfect example for me. I wanted to be just like her when I grew up."

Nora put her hand on the sad Princess' shoulder.

"But now I just don't know anymore," Anneliese continued. "I don't even know if I can forgive her."

"Why don't you try?" Nora suggested. "As she said, she was young and fool. And she regrets it."

"But you must admit," she added. "That if she hadn't done it you wouldn't have a sister."

The thought of a sister changed Anneliese's mood much better, and she hugged the girl beside her.

"I've always wanted a big sister," she said, not letting go of Nora.

"I've always wanted a little sister," her sister replied. "Now I have two of them."

"Yes, you're so lucky," the Princess agreed when she let go of her sister.

"You are lucky too," Nora answered. "Lucky to have a family like this."

After that the Princess stood up, and started to walk towards the door.

"Where are you going?" Nora asked.

"To forgive," Anneliese answered with a smile and left the room.

* * *

Anneliese passed Adella when she went out of her room.

Without saying anything, she walked away with a wide smile on her face.

A moment later Nora came out of the Princess' room.

"Where is she going with that smile?" Adella asked from her.

"To our Mother," Nora answered simply.

Adella didn't notice the word "our". But even she knew that the Queen and the Princess had had a quarrel. That meant that there was going to be a forgiveness.

"Should I feel guilty when I say I want to follow her?" Adella asked when the other Princess was out of sight.

"Race you to the Queen's room!" Nora said and ran down the hall with Princess Adella at her heels.

* * *

The two sisters stood outside the Queen's room.

The door was half-open.

When the talking in the room ended, the girls dared to peek in.

There, on a couch sat the Princess and the Queen in each others tight embrace.

"We shouldn't disturb them right now," Adella thought.

"Of course not," Nora agreed and smiled at her Mother and sister in the room.

"This is the perfect ending," Adella said with a soft sigh.

"No," Nora replied. "This is the perfect beginning."

* * *

**_Well, I'm afraid this is it._**

**_It's been fun writing to you, my friends. But all good things come to an end._**

**_But never be scared to "Unleash your imagination" and write your own stories._**

**LavernaG**


	60. Family after all 2

_**Hi! Even though this story was supposed to be over, I'm back. I'm sorry if it's confusing, but I decided to write a different ending to the story. As I understand, the first ending was a little confusing because I wrote Preminger to be Nora's father. So I decided to change it. I don't know if this way is better, but I'll give it a try. Thank you for your understanding!**_

**_And I want to thank my friend Esmee-lynn for inspiring me to write about these amazing characters. Thank you!_**

**_This part of the story starts from the 57th chapter. And things will go differently._**

* * *

Just as the Queen took a step towards her family, the cliff under her feet broke off from the rest of the cliff.

Genevieve made a big jump and landed in her daughter's embrace.

Safe.

They took a few steps away from the cliff edge and all the royals surrounded them.

Genevieve hid her face in her daughter's shoulder as tears of shame escaped from her eyes.

"It's alright, you're safe now," Anneliese said quietly as she caressed her Mother's head.

"I was so worried," the Queen sobbed. "And lost."

"Everything's okay now," the Princess whispered. "We're all here for you."

* * *

The next morning a visitor came to see the Queen.

Genevieve had assured everyone that she is fine now and won't be threatening her life anymore.

"You sent for me, Your Majesty?" Nora, the visitor, said with a bow.

"Yes," Genevieve answered. "Come sit, my dear. There's something we need to talk about." She gestured for Nora to sit down on a couch with her.

Nora sat. She knew what the talk would be about, but not what the answer to her important question would be. So she gave the Queen an interested look encouraging her to continue.

"A couple of days ago you showed me a picture of you and me," Genevieve started cautiously. "I should have told you this when you asked, but I was afraid. I want to tell you that you are right, and that I am your Mother."

Nora stared at her in surprise. If she was her Mother then why hadn't she told her in the first place?

"You are?" the young blonde asked to make sure she hadn't heard falsely.

"Yes," the Queen replied not daring to look at the younger girl. "And I am sorry for all the pain that I have caused you by giving you away, and later not admitting to be your parent." She looked as if she wanted to say something more but she kept silent.

The Queen's behaviour didn't make any sense to Nora. If her Mother didn't want to cause her pain then why had she given her away? What could hurt more than that?

"I don't understand Your Highness," Nora said trying to look the Queen in the eye.

"You don't have to address me like that," Genevieve said as if she had not noticed what Nora wished to know.

"Okay, I don't understand, **Mother,**" Nora said again changing her sentence a little.

The Queen sighed. "I guess you want me to tell you everything from the beginning," Genevieve said and Nora nodded. "Well, there's not much to tell you. I was very young, I was nothing but a simple peasant, and I had no way to raise you myself. But I wished only the best for you. And so I gave you away so you could have a worthy life. I do not regret it, you had a good life in a better family, and loving parents. It wouldn't have been the same if I had raised you."

That wasn't as much as Nora had hoped to find out, but it was still something. She knew it was hard for Genevieve to talk about it, but there was something the last sentence made her think about.

"Wouldn't you have loved me?" Nora asked.

"Of course I would. I still do," the Queen answered sincerely. "It's just your father."

"What's wrong with him?"

"There was nothing _wrong_ with your Father," Genevieve said and smiled at the thought of him. "He just didn't know."

"Why didn't you tell him?" Nora got confused.

"It's more complicated than you think," the Queen replied.

Nora noticed that her smile faded. The thing about her Father started to interest her even more. There was a silence as Nora thought if it would not hurt to ask who that man was.

"Who was my Father?" she finally asked. Much to Nora's surprise Genevieve smiled again.

"He was my first true love," the Queen said and a dreamy smile slipped on her face.

"What was his name?" Nora questioned. It was just exciting to find out about her family.

"Richard," Genevieve answered simply, but it sounded like she still esteemed that name.

"Funny," Nora said. "I know one Richard who lives in this town."

"I can assure you it is not him," Genevieve said.

"How can you be so sure?" her daughter asked, slightly confused.

"Trust me, I know."

"What did he look like?" Nora asked then. "My Father."

"Well..." Genevieve imagined Nora's Father. "He was tall."

"Check!"

"He had brown hair, and blue eyes." The Queen smiled at the pleasant thought of him.

"Check!" Nora said.

"What are you doing?" Genevieve asked in confusion.

"Checking if your facts go with the Richard I know," Nora answered like it was obvious.

The Queen shook her head slightly, and continued. "He was gentle and kind, and always very polite."

"Check!"

"He was the best hunter in town."

"Check!" Nora remembered seeing hunting trophies on Richard's wall.

But now, Genevieve's smile faded as she said, "And he's dead."

"Ch-"


	61. Past can hurt

"My Father is dead?" Nora repeated. She had just hoped...

Genevieve nodded slightly. "He died on a hunt." She tried to smile but the memory of him made a tear form in her eye. "Actually, nothing else was left of him than his hat and bow. His fellow hunters said he was attacked by a bear."

"Aren't bears calm animals?" Nora wondered.

"I wouldn't argue with hunters," Genevieve stated and returned to their main subject. "It was on that same day when I found out I was pregnant." She sighed and Nora put a reassuring hand on her Mother's shoulder. "I waited for him to return but..." Genevieve said in a voice that showed that she was holding back tears. "I was told later that he would never come back."

Nora wished to comfort her Mother but she hadn't much experience in that. So she leaned forward to embrace the Queen. Hugs always help.

Genevieve was at first surprised at the girl's touch, but then set her arms around her and returned the embrace. For so long she had wished to hug her daughter again. A single tear rolled down Genevieve's cheek. No one could say if it was from sadness or joy.

When Genevieve let go of her daughter she noticed her other one at the door. The Princess had watched them silently.

"Anneliese," the Queen said in slight surprise. "How long have you been there?"

"For almost all the time," the Princess answered but she didn't smile. "You couldn't have told me, could you?" she asked from her Mother crossly. "Your own daughter. You couldn't have told me that I have a sister?"

"I didn't know how to," justified the Queen and looked a little ashamed. "It was hard enough for me." But that didn't seem to please the Princess. "Besides, I didn't want to get your hopes up too high, Nora wouldn't be staying with us for long."

"What are you talking about?" Nora asked without understanding the Queen.

"Your family," Genevieve replied. "I'm sure they'll want you to go back home." The realization didn't seem to make the Queen happy.

"My parents - I mean stepparents - passed away last year," Nora said successfully hiding her small sadness. "So I really don't _have to _go anywhere."

"You could stay here," Anneliese said with slight excitement. She really wanted to get to know her sister. "It wouldn't hurt to have one more Princess, now would it?" The Princess's challenging glance stopped at her Mother.

"Of course not," Genevieve answered and a smile rose on her face. "You could stay here in the castle." She smiled to both of the Princesses but only one of them smiled back.

Nora was over the moon because of what she heard. "Then I will," she replied and went to hug her Mother once more. The embrace was brief but warm. Nora pulled back and went to embrace her other new family member.

"Then I suppose I'll lead you to your room," Annelise said when she let go of her sister.

Nora looked back at her Mother who nodded. "Thanks Mother," Nora said as her sister led her to the door.

When the Princesses had left Genevieve stood to go and find her husband to tell him what had happened. Now, that she thought about it, things went better than she had hoped. Somehow.

* * *

Genevieve walked into the throne room, knowing who she'd find here. Preminger, even though he had turned out to be a loving man, still was admiring the fact that he had succeeded to become king.

Preminger sat on the left one of the thrones when the Queen entered the room. As soon as the doors flung open, Preminger shot up from his seat.

"Preminger, we need to talk," Genevieve said without a greeting, and walked towards her husband.

"We most certainly do," the King replied, walking to the woman. The Queen opened her mouth to speak, but her husband was quicker. "What happened between me and Lilliana," Preminger said. "It didn't mean anything." (You all of course remember what happened between Preminger and his ex-wife.) "It was just like, I don't know, reminding old times or..."

"I know," Genevieve interrupted making her husband look at her in surprise. "I didn't come to talk about that. I just hope never to experience something like that again."

"Never again," Preminger said in a promising tone. The Queen's behaviour, however, seemed odd to him. That she now forgave him like this when just yesterday had she been wanting to end herself. Something important must have happened - something very bad or something very good.

"You of course remember when yesterday," the Queen started warily. "I was going over the reasons why I would leave that cliff edge. When I unintentionally told you about my other daughter."

Preminger gestured for her to come sit down on a couch with him. That somewhat relieved Genevieve. Her husband didn't seem either angry nor cross, just surprised. She took a seat beside the King while carefully choosing her next words. But her hidden excitement for her daughter didn't allow her to think of a careful way to tell the news.

"I called her back to the castle and spoke with her today," Genevieve said boldly. "It appears she and I made up."

Before the Queen could continue Preminger asked, "Who is she then?"

"She is Nora, the girl who stayed here for a couple of days," his wife answered. The thought of her made her smile again despite that her husband beside her didn't know if he should smile also or not. "For now we decided that she will stay in the castle. She really wants to get to know her family, as well as I want to know her." Genevieve said hopefully. "It is okay with you, isn't it?"

"Of course it is," the King replied calmly. But then another question came to him. "And the Father?" he asked curiously. He looked just interested but in the inside he was afraid he would have a rival.

"Oh, he died before I could tell him about the child," Genevieve answered sounding indifferent, successfully hiding her still lasting grief for Nora's Father.

"Then there's nothing I should worry about I guess," Preminger said and his wife nodded, smiling. "Have we made up then?" he asked with a hope that the quarrel between them would be settled.

"We have, yes," the Queen replied quietly. "And I apologize for acting so bad these last days." Feeling that no object would come to her apology she slowly moved closer to the King beside her. Preminger took her in his arms and Genevieve could once again feel her beloved one close to her.


	62. Maybe Relative

Nora had gone down to the town. Her new sister had shown her around the castle, which was apparently going to be her new home. She had gotten a huge room as hers and a wonderful closet full of fancy dresses. She tried one of them on and loved it so much that she had decided to wear it to her visit to a friend in the town.

And there she was, The Hunter's Inn where this friend worked. Actually, he was the owner of the place. Nora had come here to get more answers to her unanswered questions. She believed every single word of what her Mother had told her, but she was not sure about the part about her Father. All the things about that Richard had sounded so familiar to her. Except for the part that he was dead. This is why she had come to meet her friend, Richard.

Nora knocked on the inn's door from politeness, although it was always open for customers.

"It's open as always!" a man's voice from inside the building replied. Nora chuckled at herself not remembering that, and entered the inn. Just as she had closed the door behind her, a man with a wide smile came towards her.

"Nora! How nice to see you again!" the man said happily. He was a tall man with brown hair with hints of gray in it, a cheerful spark in his blue eyes. "Came for a place to stay I suppose?"

"Hello, Richard!" the girl replied, smiling. She had stayed in the inn for a few days before, but hadn't come for that this time. "And no, not this time. I actually came to talk to you."

"And dressed pretty well for that," Richard marked for Nora wore her new regal gown. "Well, I am most delighted to be accompanied by you," he continued as he led Nora towards a table and chairs for them to sit down.

"Thank you," Nora said politely as she took a seat at the opposite side of the table from her friend. She looked around in the room and found that she had remembered correctly. There were indeed hunting trophies on the walls.

"They're mine," Richard said when he noticed the girl examining the trophies. "I used to be a hunter."

"They're very nice," Nora said, turning back to the man. "Were you good?"

"Well, I guess so," he replied carelessly. "I believe some said I was best in town. But I highly doubt it to be true." He HAD been the best in town. Many had known that. In fact, the first one to tell him that had been his first and only lover.

"I doubt what YOU say to be true," Nora replied jokingly, thinking how she would start to talk about what she had come here for. "Okay, I'm really not good at starting conversations," she said with the same smile on her face.

"I find that you just did," Richard noted with a chuckle. He already knew that the girl usually dived right into the subject.

"Okay then," Nora said, deciding to start boldly. "The most amazing thing happened to me today!" She saw the interested look on her friend's face, which told her to continue. "I finally found my Mother!" she exclaimed excitedly.

Richard was well aware of Nora's search for her parents. It had, after all, been the reason why she had come to this kingdom. But he would have never guessed who could be her parents. And it came as a real shock when Nora said who she was.

"You're not going to believe me, but my Mother is the Queen!" Nora said just as excitedly as before. She was so happy that she didn't notice her friend's shocked look. "Oh, but you must not tell anyone. I'm not quite sure how well she has accepted it yet, nor if or when or how she would tell everyone." Nora twittered so fast that it was hard to keep up.

She then turned her gaze on the man before her, and finally saw how perplexed he was. "What's wrong?" she asked.

"Genevieve has another child?" Richard muttered in disbelief. "And here I thought I knew everything about her."

That made no sense to Nora. "You knew her?" she asked to understand the man more.

"Oh, well, I did in my youth," Richard answered, trying to concentrate on the girl's talk.

"Were you friends?" Nora asked eagerly. The thought in her mind was taking shape.

"You could say that we were friends," the man answered simply again.

"No, were you close friends?" Nora questioned once more, hoping that her expectations were right. "I mean, were you in love?" she asked boldly.

"I don't think the Queen would approve of you discussing her personal life like this with an almost stranger," Richard said disapprovingly, abstaining from answering the question.

"But you're not a stranger!" Nora said, carried away. "It might just be possible that you're my father!"


	63. Past can also be difficult

"What did you just say?" Richard asked as he looked at the girl in surprise.

"I said you could be my Father," Nora answered prudently. She watched as the man turned his glance away in the shocking realization.

"But... Why didn't she ever tell me?" Richard muttered in confusion.

"She thought you were dead," Nora said. Now, she was sure that she had been right. As Richard nodded silently, Nora asked, "Why did she think that?"

"I let her think that I was dead," Richard answered, still in shock.

"But why?" Nora asked again because she still did not understand.

"I guess you should know the whole story," Richard said after a silent pause. "It was twenty years ago. Genevieve- I mean Her Highness- and I were in love. She was a farm girl, and I was a hunter. We were a perfect match. But one day when I went hunting with a few of my friends, I got attacked by a bear. It was strange, because they are usually calm, the only exception of course is when they have their cubs with them... Anyway!" he continued. "My fellow hunters thought that I didn't survive, and brought the sad news back to the town. Yet I did not die. An old man who lived in a small hut in the forest found me, and healed me. To thank him for saving my life, I stayed with him for two years, hunting him food, and helping him any way I could. When he sadly passed away, I decided to find my way back to civilization. When I came back from "the death", I reunited with my friends and family, but who I did not find was Genevieve. And then I heard that she had married the King and was expecting a baby. She was so happy with her new life that I decided not to disturb her life. I forbid my friends to tell her about my return, and I never met her myself again. I thought it was the best for the both of us."

Nora had listened silently, and was amazed by this interesting story. It all made sense. Only now that she knew both of her parents, she wanted to bring them together.

"Haven't you ever thought of going to her?" she asked as the man was still thinking about the past.

"I have, but I've never dared to," Richard answered honestly.

"What about now?" Nora didn't give up. "Don't you think that you should go and talk to her now that you know about me?"

Richard fell silent as he thought.

"I think you should go," Nora tried once more. "Father."

The last word woke Richard up from his thoughts and he quietly agreed to have a talk with his daughter's mother.

* * *

Genevieve stood before a big mirror, combing her blonde hair. It was not very late, but she was feeling rather tired, and had decided to go to bed earlier.

As she ran the comb through her hair, deep in her own thoughts, she didn't notice the knock on the door, the door opening, and a man coming inside.

She looked in the mirror, and suddenly she saw someone standing behind her. That was someone she had thought was dead for twenty years.

"Richard..." Genevieve said quietly in a frightened voice. She was sure that it couldn't be real.

"No, you're dead," she said, her voice shivering. She did not believe in ghosts, but this couldn't be anything else.

"No, Gen, I never died," Richard said calmly in a soft voice, using her old nickname. His calm voice hid his fear of meeting his past loved one.

Genevieve dropped her comb, and a radiant smile lit up her face.

She turned around quickly, and the two of them captured each other in a tight hug.

For a short moment Genevieve totally forgot that she was married again. The joy of seeing Richard again was just so big. She did not admit it to herself, but there was something left from the love she had had for him.

But when Genevieve realized what had just happened, that she was embracing a supposedly dead man, she pulled away, and collected herself quickly.

She watched the man before her right in the eye, but she couldn't find any answers there.

"How?" she simply asked.

Richard waited before replying, "I didn't die on that hunt, Genevieve. I was healed. But when I came back you were not there, waiting for me."

"I thought you were dead," Genevieve justified, suddenly feeling the old sadness returning.

"I know," Richard said. "I let you think that." Before Genevieve could ask, why, he continued, "Because you were happy with your husband. I didn't want to confuse you nor bring you more pain."

There were tears in Genevieve's eyes now. Were they the tears of sadness of what had happened back then, or the tears of joy of seeing Richard again, she didn't know.

"But now I had to come to you," Richard said. "Because of Nora. Is it true what she has told me? Am I her father?"

Genevieve looked a little guilty as she nodded. "Yes," she answered. "But I had no way to tell you," she justified again. "And there was no way that I could have raised her myself. I had no choice but to give her away."

"I understand," Richard said soothingly and took Genevieve's hand. "Nora told me everything."

"You are not angry with me?" Genevieve asked quietly. After all, Nora was both of theirs child, but Genevieve had made the decision to give her away by herself.

"Of course not. If I would be then only with myself that I didn't come back earlier," Richard replied.

"But what now?" he asked anxiously. "Now that we have Nora again?"

"I know what you are thinking," Genevieve said. "But I am married again now. If you had come a couple of months earlier, then maybe..."

She let go of Richard's hand, and that meant more than any word.

He nodded silently. Genevieve had made it clear that he didn't have a place in her life, at least not now.

Richard bowed before the Queen humbly.

He turned to leave without a goodbye. The tears he had seen in Genevieve's eyes were the farewell.

As Richard walked out of the room, Preminger came in. Richard bowed before the King silently, and left the castle.

"Who was that?" Preminger asked when the man had closed the door behind him.

Genevieve sat down on the edge of her bed, and answered, "A dead man."

Preminger walked to his wife, picked up her comb from the floor, and sat beside her. He hadn't understood the Queen's answer, but seeing the tears in her eyes told Preminger that something bad had happened.

"What's the matter?" he asked, putting his hand on his wife's back soothingly.

"That was..." Genevieve said in a voice full of sorrow. "That was Nora's father."

"But you said he was dead," Preminger said, confused.

"I thought that he was," Genevieve replied, now looking at her husband. "He let me think that for all these years. But now that he knows about Nora, he had to come and meet me." She sniffed, and wiped away a tear from her cheek. "He has no chance with me anymore. Now I have you."


	64. A downfall

**I just want to say that I'm sorry about what will happen in this chapter. But I had to make it this way. Sorry!  
**

* * *

Genevieve woke up in the morning at the sound of the door opening. She opened her eyes quickly, and looked at the man in the doorway in surprise.

"My God, Julian!" Genevieve said in slight shock. "What are you doing here?" she asked, instinctively pulling her blanket closer to her.

She noticed the stead beside her in the bed empty, so Preminger must have gotten up already.

"I am very sorry, Your Majesty," Julian said hurriedly. "I would never disturb you if it wasn't an emergency. You must come with me at once."

Genevieve couldn't find anything to say, so she just stared at the young man in confusion.

Julian walked quickly to a peg by the wall and grabbed the Queen's dressing gown. He tossed it to Genevieve, saying, "Please. Put this on, and come with me."

Genevieve was speechless. It didn't happen every day that your son-in-law-to-be rushed into your room early in the morning, asking you to come with him.

She watched as Julian turned around, and got out of the bed, annoyed.

"This better be important," Genevieve muttered as she pulled the dressing gown on.

After she tied the robe's belt, Julian led her out of the room. As she passed him, Julian bowed apologetically for disturbing her like that.

But there was one bigger problem.

* * *

Julian opened the door of the long corridor in the eastern side of the castle. He let Genevieve walk inside, closing the door behind them.

When Genevieve took a first look at the room, she noticed why she had been called there. And that did not gladden her.

"Oh, no!" the Queen exclaimed before running to the center of the room.

There, on the floor before Princess Anneliese and Princess Adella lay the King, an arrow shot in his shoulder.

The Princesses were kneeling beside him when Genevieve descended by him.

She touched his pale cheek gently, and tears instantly began to fall from her eyes.

"My darling," she whispered, her voice breaking.

She had thought that the lives of her family were finally safe, but it wasn't like that.

Then she noticed Preminger's chest moving slightly up and down. He was still breathing!

Genevieve had always been the victim, but when someone else was in danger, she didn't know what to do.

"We must get a doctor for him," she finally said, desperately looking at her daughter beside her.

"Nora has already gone to find him," Anneliese said as calmly as she could manage to. The Princess didn't care for Preminger as much as her mother did, but she was still very concerned about his situation.

Genevieve looked back at her husband, wondering if the doctor would come in time, if Preminger would make it, and who had injured him like that.

The puddle of blood around Preminger's injured shoulder became bigger by the moment, and his breathing slowed.

"No, no! You must stay with me, Preminger," Genevieve cried, but didn't dare to touch him any more. She didn't want to cause him more pain.

Suddenly, the door flung open, and the Doctor came rushing in with Nora on his heels.

The man squatted beside the King as the Princesses moved away to give him room.

"Please, can you help him?" Genevieve asked desperately from the Doctor.

He looked over Preminger quickly, saying, "I'll do my best to save our King. But I can't promise you anything."

A quiet sob escaped Genevieve's lips.

"I think it would be better if you, ladies, would leave," the Doctor said. "Julian, could you help me?"

Julian came closer as the Doctor started to give him orders quietly.

Anneliese set her arms around her Mother, and gently pulled her up and farther from the men.

Genevieve obediently followed the three girls out of the room, looking at her husband over her shoulder.

It could be the last time that she saw him alive.

* * *

When the four women left the room, Genevieve tried to stop crying, it wouldn't make things better anyway.

"I just hope Father will be alright," Adella said, her sadness clearly audible in her voice.

"We all hope that," Nora replied.

"I should probably find my Mother," added the younger girl. "And tell her about what has happened."

"Yes, you do that," Anneliese agreed, and the young Princess silently left them to find Lilliana.

Anneliese felt her Mother tremble slightly because of the sorrow. There was nothing left of the happiness the Princess had felt in the morning.

"Are you alright?" Anneliese asked her Mother, her arms still around the Queen.

Genevieve nodded silently. There was at least one good thing about what had happened to Preminger: Anneliese was not anymore angry with her because of Nora's case. Actually the Princess and Nora got along very well, about which Genevieve could be happy.

"I just don't understand who would do such a thing to him," the Queen quietly said. The people who had endangered them before were not around anymore, after all.

"Me neither," agreed Anneliese. "Who would be able to shoot an arrow through a second floor window and hit his target so well? You would have to be a top hunter to do that."

Genevieve and Nora's eyes widened. They were both thinking the same thing. They both knew who had been the best hunter in the town.

"I know a person like that," Genevieve said significantly.

"You don't mean..." Nora said, but the words trailed away.

"I do," Genevieve replied seriously.

Anneliese let go of her Mother, and looked first at Nora and then back at the Queen. "What **do** you mean?" she asked from her Mother.

The Queen's look was cheerless, and her voice firm as she said, "You will see."

Genevieve turned to walk away, and Nora called the Princess to come with her.


	65. A changed man

Richard walked farther from the castle in the park around the royal building. He carried his bow in one hand.

He had never thought he could attack another person, he didn't think he could be so cruel. But still, he had done it. He had found a perfect hiding place, and with his perfect hunting skills shot the deadly arrow into the castle. It had been an attack of jealousy.

Richard had stayed away from the Queen for years, and kept his feelings under control. But now that he had seen Genevieve again, he had realized just how much he still loves the woman. He would never want to make her unhappy by endangering a person who is dear to her, but his jealousy was stronger than his mind. That is why he had attacked the King.

As Richard walked calmly through the park, he heard a furious woman's voice calling his name.

"Richard!" shouted the Queen's voice from behind him. But because Richard had never heard Genevieve being angry, he didn't recognize her voice. In fear that his brutal deed had been discovered, he turned around quickly, drawing his bow in an attempt to protect himself.

Genevieve was momentarily frightened of the arrow which was pointed at her, but knowing that Richard would never dare to hurt her, she continued to step closer.

When Richard realized who was standing before him, he wanted to lower his bow, but Genevieve took hold of it with her own hands, keeping the arrow still pointed at her.

There was such fury and audacity in her eyes, that Richard could hardly recognize the kind and sweet Queen he had known.

When Genevieve took hold of the bow and got a chance to look Richard in the eye, her look softened just a little bit.

"So, it was you?" she asked, a hint of disappointment in her voice.

Richard nodded silently. After all, there was no way he could deny in anymore. And he couldn't lie to this woman before him, who observed him so closely.

"Why?" Genevieve asked, with sorrow and disappointment in her voice.

"I..." Richard said, not knowing how to answer. "I was jealous," he sighed. "I kept away from you for years not to disturb your life. But now that I saw you again, the desire to be with you returned." Richard finished quietly, a slight sound of regret in his voice.

Richard tried to lower his bow once more, but Genevieve held it firmly pointing at herself.

"You can never be with me again," she said, turning the bow so that the arrow would point at her shoulder not at her heart. "Too much time has passed."

Genevieve saw her daughters and a few guards coming from the castle that Richard did not see. She knew that Nora had called the guards just in case. But now that Genevieve thought about it, she had no proof that it had been Richard who had attacked the King.

"I may have loved you, and you may have wanted it to last," the Queen continued. "But what you have done I cannot forgive you." There was nothing left of the love she had felt for Richard. Genevieve watched as the guards came silently closer, and knew what she could do to blame Richard.

"You were a good man, and I'm sorry that you have changed," Genevieve said, and looked in Richard's eyes for the last time. In her eyes was deep sorrow because of what had happened, and what was going to happen.

"Goodbye, Richard," Genevieve said quietly, and let go of the man's bow with one hand.

With that she released the arrow that shot through her shoulder in a short moment, and Genevieve's pain was reflected by Anneliese's scream of horror.


	66. The solution

Genevieve stumbled backwards, and clasped her shoulder with her other hand. She did not cry, but silently stood.

For a moment, nothing happened. It took some time for everyone to understand what had happened, that this man before them had deadly injured their Queen.

Richard himself was shocked because of Genevieve's deed. She had hurt herself so bravely just to blame him, to show the guards that Richard was also responsible for the King's attack.

When the guards, after a moment of silence, came back to life, they hurried to Richard, and took him by his arms. To their surprise, the man didn't fight them. He only looked at the Queen sadly, perhaps with regret, as the guards led him towards the dungeons. Nora followed them sadly.

Anneliese rushed to her Mother, exclaiming, "Mother! Are you okay?"

The Queen's gown was covered in blood where the arrow was in her shoulder.

Genevieve who had stood still silently would have fallen over, but her daughter took hold of her arm to keep her up.

"Yes..." Genevieve replied weakly. "I'm alright. Let's find a doctor."

She took a careful step with Anneliese supporting her.

"Can you walk?" Anneliese asked worriedly.

"Yes, of course I can," her Mother answered although her shoulder hurt so much that her legs felt weak.

As the two of them started to walk towards the castle with Anneliese helping her Mother, the Princess asked, "It was you, wasn't it?"

Genevieve stopped to look at her daughter in confusion.

"You shot the arrow, didn't you?" Anneliese asked again, and Genevieve sighed.

"I had no proof that Richard was responsible for what has happened to Preminger," Genevieve said. "I had to show the guards that he was guilty."

"You could have just given them the orders to capture Richard," Anneliese said. "They do listen to you."

"And," Genevieve continued as if Anneliese hadn't interrupted her, "I wanted to hurt Richard as much as he had hurt me. He still loves me, so he can now feel the regret of pointing his very own bow at me, which later injured me."

Anneliese wondered whether her Mother's action had been right, when Genevieve's legs gave out, and Anneliese had to hold her strongly to set her on the ground softly.

"I'm sorry," Genevieve said feebly. "I can't walk anymore."

"You mustn't move at all," Anneliese said caringly. "I will call the Doctor here for you."

But before she could head towards the castle, they saw the Doctor coming to them from the castle in a hurry.

"Another attack I see," the Doctor said as he quickly squatted before the Queen. "Is the man who I saw being taken to the dungeon the attacker?"

He gently took Genevieve's hand that held her shoulder, and pulled it away from the wound.

"Yes, that's Richard," Anneliese answered. She had heard her Mother call the attacker by this name. Although she knew that Richard hadn't shot Genevieve, she decided to keep her Mother's secret.

"Then I hope he won't be endangering any of you again?" the Doctor said as he took a close look at the arrow in Genevieve's shoulder.

"Only if not Nora," Anneliese answered, squatting down beside her Mother.

"Nora went with him?" Genevieve asked in her feeble voice.

"To the dungeon, yes," Anneliese replied.

Then the Doctor tried to take hold of the bow arrow in Genevieve's shoulder, but Genevieve flinched away, and took hold of her shoulder once again.

"Please, Your Majesty," the Doctor said calmly, pulling her hand away again. "I'm trying to help you."

"A perfect shot if I may say so," he added. "The muscles are not hurt."

"How bad is it?" Anneliese asked worriedly.

The Doctor didn't answer. He watched as the Queen tried to keep her eyes from closing. She was sleepy and weak. And she was very pale, the dark red blood being the contrast to her white skin.

"You shouldn't fight the tiredness, Majesty," the man said. "The pain will be much lighter once you are asleep."

Maybe Genevieve heard those words, maybe she didn't, but her eyes closed, and her head rested on her daughter's shoulder.

"It's very bad," the Doctor suddenly said as he started to remove the arrow from Genevieve's shoulder. "She has lost a lot of blood. Even more than the King did. She shouldn't have moved at all after the shooting. We need to make a transfusion. Only, we need a donor with the same blood group."

"I'm her daughter, I have the same blood as she does," Anneliese said after a moment of silence. "Can't I do it?"

"Of course you can," the Doctor replied, sounding somewhat proud because he had gotten the arrow out. "Unless you are pregnant," he added questioningly.

Anneliese sopped before answering. She wanted to say that she wasn't, but that wouldn't be the truth. The truth was that she had found out this morning.

The Doctor understood her just by looking at her. "Your secret is safe with me," he said.

"But I have to do it," Anneliese said. "She's my Mother."

"Yes, but Her Majesty has one more child," the Doctor said.

"Nora?"

"Yes. I believe she would be willing to offer her blood to save her Mother," the Doctor said, and Anneliese nodded in agreement. "Find miss Nora, and call her to my office. I will manage to get the Queen there."


	67. A disappointment for daughter

Nora followed the guards who took her Father to the dungeon. The men guided Richard into a cell and locked the door from outside. Then they left, leaving the prisoner and Nora.

Nora looked at the man in the cell. He was undoubtedly sad and regretful. The girl knew that he hadn't wanted for this to go this far.

"Why?" Nora finally asked with disappointment in her voice.

Richard sat down with a sad sigh.

"I'm so sorry, Nora," he finally said. "I don't know why I did it."

Then he fell silent for a long moment. Nora watched as he shook his head remorsefully.

"No, I do know," Richard said quietly. "Because I haven't gotten over your Mother. Even after all these years I love her."

"What kind of love is that? You could have killed her," Nora mumbled, more to herself than to her Father.

"I know what I did was stupid," Richard said, not looking at his daughter. "After what I have done, there would be no way that Genevieve would return my feelings. But I just couldn't bear to watch as she was with another man." He sounded given up and depressed. "I'm sorry, I know you wanted to have a Mother and a Father, but I guess I ruined it all."

Richard had had a chance to be a parent, to have a family, but now the only thing he had was this cage. And he only blamed himself. He knew that Genevieve had shot herself and not him, but he felt responsible for her deed. It had all been his fault.

"I'm glad that you admit it all, Father," Nora said after a long silence. "And I still have both of my parents, only I'll visit you more rarely. And Richard, I'm not mad at you. I don't understand love, but I know that it can be stronger than a man's mind."

Richard looked up at his daughter and saw the compassionate and understanding look which she gave him. And they both smiled slightly.

Then Richard looked away again.

"Can you do me a favour?" he asked.

"Of course," Nora answered.

"Since I'm here now, and no one knows for how long," Richard said, "I need someone to take care of my Inn. Since you are my daughter, I should give the place to you, but I guess it would be too much to ask."

Nora nodded.

"So I ask that you go down to the town and find Missis Fillberg," Richard continued. "She works in the Inn. Tell her to come to meet me. I'll give my duties over to her."

"Okay, I'll find her tomorrow," Nora promised.

"Thank you," Richard said.

Then they heard someone running towards them in the dungeon hall, and when the two of them looked in the direction of the sound they saw Princess Anneliese coming hurriedly to them. When Anneliese reached them, she stopped, panting.

"Anneliese!" Nora said in surprise, but then her tone turned worrying. "Is Mother alright?"

"Not really," Anneliese said hurriedly. "She needs you. Please, come with me, I'll explain everything on the way to the castle."

"Will Genevieve be alight?" Richard asked, but the Princess ignored him.

The girls hurried away, and Richard was left alone with his worry over his beloved Queen.

* * *

Nora and Anneliese went to the Doctor's room where the Doctor had promised to meet them. Anneliese had explained everything to Nora, and she had instantly agreed to donate her blood to save her Mother. She didn't even ask why Anneliese wouldn't do it herself.

Now, in the Doctor's room, they stood before the couch where the Queen lay. Her shoulder was bandaged, but her dress was covered in her blood.

"I presume Her Highness has told you what we ask from you?" the Doctor asked from Nora.

The blonde girl sat beside her Mother, and took her hand in hers.

"Yes," she said bravely. "And I will do whatever it takes to save my Mother."


	68. Safe and sound, and invalid

Genevieve opened her eyes in the morning as the sunbeams peeked in from the windows. She turned her head to the side and realized that she was in the Doctor's room. Again.

"Your Majesty," the Doctor said, getting up from his chair, and making his way to the Queen. "I am glad that you have awoken. That was one long and needful rest you had. But you look much better today."

Genevieve turned to look towards the windows. It was morning?

"What happened to yesterday?" she asked in confusion. "What has happened?"

"Yesterday you were shot by your daughter's Father," the Doctor reminded her as he sat on the bed beside the Queen. "I suppose you remember?"

Of course Genevieve remembered that shot. And she also remembered who had really shot the arrow. Her shoulder still hurt although it was now bandaged carefully.

"After that you lost a great deal of blood," the Doctor continued. "We must all be very thankful to your daughter. She donated her blood for you in order to save you."

"Anneliese?" Genevieve questioned, she was already sure that it had been this daughter.

"No, Your Majesty," the Doctor said, "Nora."

The Queen was so surprised now that the surprised look on her already pale face looked actually kind of comic.

"Nora?" Genevieve asked. She had known that the girl liked her, but now that Nora had done so much to save her, Genevieve knew that she definitely loved her as her Mother. "I must thank her," the Queen said. "Can you call her here?"

"Unfortunately not, she has gone to the town," the Doctor answered. "But I'm sure you'll have your chance to thank her soon enough."

Genevieve nodded in agreement.

"I really can't wait to get up on my feet again," Genevieve said, smiling. "It must be very annoying for you that I happen to stay here so often."

"It is really no problem for me to take care of you. Your health is what is important," the Doctor replied kindly. "However, I'm afraid that you will not be "up on your feet" this soon."

"What do you mean?" Genevieve asked anxiously.

"You lost a lot of blood, and although you regained it, you are still not very strong yet," the Doctor explained warily. "Although you are recovering very well, I think you will need your wheelchair again."

Genevieve's eyes widened, and her look showed true scare.

"No..." she whispered, looking the Doctor in the eyes desperately. "Please, Doctor, please say it isn't so!"

"Your Majesty, it's only temporary," the Doctor tried to calm the Queen. "You are not paralyzed, your legs just need to rest for a week or so."

"A week _or so_?" Genevieve asked as tears appeared in her eyes.

"It will probably not take longer than a week," the man said.

"Probably," the Queen sobbed. "But I don't want to be an invalid again."

Genevieve had been so happy to finally be able to walk without her walking stick. But now she had to sit in the wheelchair again. And she knew that it was her own fault. She herself had caused her loss of blood, and because of that she couldn't walk now either.

The Doctor took Genevieve's hand supportively.

"I understand how hard it is for you," he said caringly. "But you must pull yourself together. It will not be that bad, you'll see. You have your family to support you after all."

"Thank you," Genevieve said quietly.

The Doctor was really a wonderful person. He saved her life and others', and now he also supported and helped her.

There was a long silence as a couple of tears rolled down Genevieve's cheeks.

"I want to try to stand up," the Queen finally said.

"But, Your Majesty..."

"I want to try," Genevieve said resolutely, but not angrily.

The Doctor sighed, and stood up.

"Go ahead then," he said simply.

Genevieve was a little taken aback at first, but then decisively sat up on the edge of the bed.

For a moment she wondered how she had gotten into her nightgown, but she quickly forgot the thought as the Doctor offered her his hand.

The man took her hand and supported Genevieve as she stood up.

Genevieve felt insecure as she stood on her legs which felt as if they would give in any moment. She saw the disapproving look on the Doctor's face, but she couldn't help but smile for a moment as she stood.

But the happy moment didn't last long. Suddenly Genevieve's legs gave out, and thanks to the Doctor she didn't collapse to the ground. He held her strongly and helped her sit on the bed again.

"It's alright," the Doctor said quietly as the Queen burst into tears. "But next time, please, believe me."

"I do believe you," Genevieve replied sadly. "I just didn't want to believe this time."


	69. From another family

Nora had again gone to the town, and now entered the Hunter's Inn without knocking.

The house looked the same as the last time that she had visited it. Only now she wasn't there to find Richard.

Nora walked to the counter and saw a round woman behind it, cleaning the counter and humming.

"Missis Fillberg?" Nora asked the woman.

Mrs. Fillberg looked up and smiled widely.

"Yes, dear, that's me," she replied in a friendly manner. "What can I do for you, young lady?"

"It's about Richard," Nora answered, relieved that she had found the right person. The older woman's warm greeting calmed her, because she could see what a nice person Mrs. Fillberg was.

"I'm afraid I haven't seen him in a couple of days," Mrs. Fillberg said.

"I know," Nora began to explain. "Because he is in the royal prison right now."

Mrs. Fillberg's eyes widened at what she heard.

"That is unbelievable," she said. "In what is he accused then? Richard is such a good man, he never does anything wrong."

"Well, this time he did do something wrong," Nora said, feeling a bit sad about her Father. "I think he will tell you by himself when you go and meet him. Richard asked me to call you to him, because he needs to talk to you about the future of the Inn."

"Well, of course I'll go to him," Mrs. Fillberg replied, still in slight shock because of what she had heard. "As soon as I am done here."

"Thank you," Nora said with a smile. "You'll find him in the royal dungeon. Tell the guard outside the prison that I sent you, and he will take you to him." And Nora turned to walk away.

"Alright," Mrs. Fillberg said. "But who are you anyway?"

Nora turned around before leaving.

"I'm Nora, the Queen's daughter," she said and left the Inn.

* * *

Nora walked outside the Inn on the street, waiting for the carriage that was supposed to take her back to the castle. Now she had done as her Father had asked her to, the rest was up to Mrs. Fillberg.

As Nora walked, she head a very familiar voice call her name from behind her.

"Nora?" a young woman's voice asked.

Nora turned around to see her step-sister standing a few meters away, happily surprised.

"Marie!" Nora replied, and the girls ran to each other and captured each other in a tight hug.

"What are you doing here?" Nora asked as she let go of her sister.

"I knew that you came to this kingdom during your search for your parents, but I never thought I would find you here," Marie replied joyfully.

"About my parents," Nora said, "there's a lot you need to hear."

Marie was three years older than Nora. She was the daughter of Nora's step-parents. The girls had lived together for almost twenty years, and except for the little fights between the sisters, they got along very well.

"Don't tell me, you found them?" the older girl asked in disbelief, happy for her sister.

"I did, yes. And it's more complicated than you think," Nora answered.

"And that's why you're wearing this fancy gown?" Marie asked a little teasingly. "Are you going to a party or something?"

"No," Nora answered simply although she was totally excited to tell her news to Marie. "I wear it because I'm a royalty. My Mom's the Queen!" she finally exclaimed excitedly.

"Yea, sure," Marie said, not believing her sister. "And your Father's the King?"

"No, my Father is Richard," Nora answered.

"Richard?" Marie asked, glancing at the Hunter's Inn. "_The_ Richard?" she asked again.

"Yes, that Richard," Nora replied, hoping that her sister believes her now.

"Okay, you're just messing with me now," Marie said, still not believing it. Her sister had played pranks on her before, and she was sure that this was just another one of them. "Why don't we ask Richard himself?" Marie asked, sure that Nora would have to give up now.

"We can't, he's not here," Nora answered.

"Where is he then?"

"In prison," Nora answered and saw her carriage coming towards them. "I'll explain everything to you on the way to the castle."

The carriage stopped before the two young ladies and the coachman opened the door for Nora.

"Come on! You do want to see where I live now, don't you?" Nora said, calling Marie to the carriage, as she sat into the carriage.

"You never give up, don't you?" Marie said as she sat beside her sister. She didn't believe Nora, it just couldn't be possible that her step-sister, the girl she had spent her whole life with, could be royalty. But if she were, that would be a reason to be jealous.


	70. The recovering royals

Preminger was bored. The Doctor had left him alone in his room, and he couldn't do anything but lay in the bed because of his injury. Even the mirror was too far for him to reach.

So he was really happy to hear some sounds from the hall, which meant that someone was coming. It wasn't the sound of footsteps, however.

The door opened, and the King could see his wife's maid come in, moving the Queen in her wheelchair before her.

The maid took Genevieve to the side of Preminger's bed and then left after the Queen had thanked her.

Genevieve turned to smile at her husband.

"I'm so glad you're alright," the Queen said lovingly, taking Preminger's hand. "I was very worried about you."

Preminger smiled back at the kind woman. He really liked to be loved by someone.

"You needn't worry anymore. I'm recovering," he replied. "The Doctor told me what happened to me. But what is with you? Why are you in the wheelchair again?" Preminger asked worriedly.

"It's quite a long story," Genevieve answered, but decided to make it short. "After your shooting I realized who it must have been, and when I accused him he... He shot me as well." She didn't like to lie, but she couldn't tell Preminger that she had shot herself. "He was taken away. But I had a big loss of blood from which Nora saved me. The Doctor says that I must stay in the wheelchair until I recover, and let my legs rest."

"I'm very sorry for you," Preminger said, knowing how much her health meant to Genevieve. "What a horrible man," he added about Richard.

"We can't blame Richard too much," Genevieve said, not knowing why she was defending Richard. "He claimed to have been jealous."

Preminger chuckled quietly as he caressed his wife's cheek gently with his free hand.

"Because I am married to the most wonderful woman in the kingdom?" he asked fondly.

Genevieve blushed, flattered.

"I guess so," she replied, smiling.

"I'm the lucky one then," Preminger said as Genevieve leaned closer to him.

"Yes, you are," she whispered before kissing him lovingly.

* * *

"She is what?" Erika asked in disbelief.

"In the wheelchair again," Anneliese repeated. She had just told Erika and Dominic about what had happened the last day, because they hadn't been around. "But the Doctor says it's only for a short time."

"But still, it's awful," Erika said, sad about the Queen.

"How could the man have done that?" Dominic questioned about Richard.

Anneliese quietly considered if she should tell her friends that the one shooting the Queen was actually Genevieve herself.

"Well, about that..." the Princess said. "You must promise not to tell anyone."

"Sure," the both of them replied.

"Richard didn't really shoot my mother," Anneliese said, ignoring the confused faces of her two friends. "My mother did it herself. She wanted the guards to believe that he was dangerous, and also she wanted him to feel guilty."

There was a long moment of silence.

"I would have never thought that the Queen would," Erika said, "do something like that."

"But you cannot tell anyone about this," Anneliese said quickly. "I don't want my mother to think that she can't trust me. And also it would start rumors that she is dangerous for herself."

"We won't tell, of course," Dominic promised.

Anneliese smiled gratefully.

"Anyway," she said to change the subject. "How long do you think it will take for the preparations of our big wedding?"

"Long enough," Erika said. "It's the wedding of two kingdoms' royalties after all." She smiled at her soon-to-be husband lovingly.

"Of course," Anneliese said, her smile slipping from her face. She really wished to hurry up with the wedding, because she couldn't let anyone know that she had become pregnant before getting married.


	71. The presentation of Marie

Nora led Marie into the castle as the servants passing them bowed before her.

"You should end this game already," Marie said uneasily. She hadn't believed her sister before, and she didn't believe her even now. This just couldn't be real!

"Why?" Nora asked simply, opening the door to a large hall.

"Because..." Marie fell silent. She saw one of the palace maids entering the room they were in, moving before her a wheelchair in which sat the Queen herself!

Marie instantly curtsied, not noticing the warm smile on the Queen's face.

"Nora!" Genevieve said happily, reaching her hand towards her daughter who now ran towards her joyfully.

Nora embraced her mother lovingly, whispering, "I'm so glad you're safe now."

Marie stood still silently, marveling the scene before her with wide eyes. Had her sister really spoken the truth? Was she really a Princess?

The maid who had escorted the Queen left the room quietly.

Nora let go of her mother after a moment, and smiled brightly, clearly happy.

"I must thank you, Nora," Genevieve said gratefully, not noticing Marie. "Thank you for saving my life. I'll never know how to repay you," she added.

"You can repay me by just being there for me," Nora replied heartily. "And being my Mother."

These words touched the Queens heart, and a happy tear appeared in her eye. She smiled warmly at her daughter. The daughter who had been away from her for all these years, but now loved her so truly.

As she blinked away the happy tear, she noticed the other young woman in the room. The girl had light brown shoulder-lenght hair and her hazel eyes stared at Genevieve and Nora nervously.

"Hello," Genevieve said kindly to Marie. Nora turned around to call her step-sister closer.

"Oh, Marie, this is my Mother, Queen Genevieve," Nora introduced as Marie stepped closer to the two royals. "And, Mother, this is my step-sister, Marie."

Marie curtsied once more, while Genevieve looked at her with a warm smile on her face.

"I remember you," Genevieve said. "When I gave Nora to your parents, I saw you, eager to see your new play-mate. My, how beautiful you have grown! Just like Nora here."

Marie was a little taken aback at the Queen's outspokenness. But Her Majesty seemed to be a very nice person, so Marie said, "It's nice to meet you, Your Majesty. I'm sorry that I don't remember you."

"Oh, it's okay. It was such a long time ago after all," Genevieve replied, still smiling, making Marie smile as well. It just wasn't possible to not smile in the presence of a woman like Queen Genevieve.

"What's with the wheelchair?" Nora asked then, making Genevieve turn her attention back to her.

"The Doctor says it's only temporary," Genevieve replied with a sigh. "It's because of my loss of blood."

Then the Queen smiled at her daughter again, remembering that Nora had been the one to save her.

Marie was about to ask what it was all about, when the door opened and three more women came in, two younger ones and one of the Queen's age. More royals! Marie decided, seeing the crowns on the younger girls' heads.

Anneliese, Adella and Lilliana walked to the three of them and stopped, looking at Marie.

"Who are you?" Adella asked curiously, her never fading smile curving her lips.

"This is my step-sister," Nora explained, before Marie had a chance to answer. "Marie."

"It's very nice to meet you," Lilliana said nicely.

Marie curtsied again. She just wasn't used to being around royal people.

"Hello," Anneliese and Adella said together, surprising themselves.

"I'm your step-sister's half-sister," Anneliese introduced herself to Marie, "Anneliese."

"You have the same name as the Princess," Marie said. And then remembered that it _was_ the Princess! "Oh, right," she added quickly.

"It's okay, I've been told that before," Anneliese said with a smile, finding Marie's situation a little funny.

There was a short moment of silence before Nora grabbed Marie's arm.

"Come on! I want to show you around," she told her step-sister, now pulling her towards the door playfully.

"Okay," Marie replied. "It was nice meeting you all," she said to the others before her sister led her out of the room.

"You too!" Adella called after her.

Genevieve chuckled quietly when the girls were out of sight.

"She was so little when I saw her the last time," she said to Lilliana, who looked at her with a concerned look.

"I'm so sorry," Lilliana said quietly, and Genevieve realized that the woman was looking at her wheelchair.

"Oh, Lilliana, this time it wasn't your fault," Genevieve said reassuringly. She had been very angry with Lilliana back then when she had caused her becoming an invalid, but now she had changed into a much better person. The short time in prison must have changed Lilliana, because now she regretted everything she had done to the Queen.

"But it was the last time," Lilliana said remorsefully.

"It's long forgotten, Lilliana," Genevieve said amicably. She felt like Lilliana was a good friend of hers. After all, they had been through a lot together. "How about we simply forget about it right now," Genevieve said, and Lilliana managed to smile through her remorse.

"Perhaps you could help me?" Genevieve asked then. "I was actually going to lunch before I met Nora and Marie, and I would gladly continue my way, but..." Genevieve couldn't move her wheelchair by herself because one of her shoulders was bandaged because of the shooting, and she couldn't use that arm. And she couldn't move the chair with only one hand.

"I'll take you to the dining room," Lilliana offered, taking hold of the wheelchair obligingly.

"Thank you," Genevieve said, and then turned to the Princesses. "Are you coming also?"

"Right away," Adella answered. "You two go ahead."

Lilliana left with the Queen.

Adella began walking side by side with Anneliese, and said quietly, "I know that the Queen shot herself."

Anneliese stopped abruptly and stared at the younger girl.

"How... Did Erika tell you?"

"No, I just happened to be in the right place in the right time," Adella answered simply, but then asked, "Why is it a secret?"

"Because it's damaging for my Mother's reputation, which is already not good," Anneliese answered. "And also if she found out that I told anyone, she maybe wouldn't trust me that much anymore. So, you can't tell anyone!"

"I'll do my best not to tell," Adella promised, but it wasn't very promising.

The two of them entered the dining room, where their mothers already waited for them.


	72. Sister ties

Nora and Marie walked through another large hallway, with Nora explaining everything in the palace as they went. She had shown her sister some of the rooms in the castle, and told Marie about her new and exciting life with the royals.

"I'm sorry, but it's still hard to believe that you..." Marie said for definitely the hundredth time, "... are a Princess!"

"I know right!" Nora agreed jovially. "It's a dream come true!"

They passed yet another door.

"And finally, this is the royal library," Nora explained as they passed the open door to the huge room with tall bookshelves and some comfy chairs.

"I see," Marie nodded. "But what's there?" she asked, pointing at another door at the end of the corridor.

"That part of the castle is still being repaired," Nora answered in a strange voice.

"Repaired?"

"Yes, there was a fire," Nora replied with a small hint of guilt in her voice. "Not long ago."

"Were you here then?" her sister asked fearfully.

Nora nodded.

"Actually..." Nora said guiltily. "I started the fire." As an answer to her sister's questioning look, she continued, "It was an accident. I was very angry at my Mother at that moment, because she didn't accept me as her daughter. But I never meant to burn the castle down, I don't even know how I knocked these candles down." Nora was a little calmed upon seeing Marie's sympathetic look. "But you can't tell anyone!" Nora added warningly.

"Of course not, I'll keep your secret," Marie promised kindly.

"Thanks, I knew I could trust you," Nora said gratefully, and the sisters shared a trusting hug.

"You can trust me with anything," Marie said.

Nora looked around in the room to make sure they were alone. "Can I tell you something more?"

"Sure," Marie replied.

"I feel myself a little guilty for my Father's deeds," Nora said. "If I hadn't wanted to find him and asked him to come here, then the King and the Queen wouldn't be injured right now. And then Richard wouldn't be in prison also."

"Oh, sister! It wasn't your fault!" Marie said compassionately. "You didn't know how Richard was going to react, nor that he would do something like this. He is the only one to blame. Come here," she said and embraced Nora again. "You've done nothing wrong."

"Thank you, Marie," Nora said, smiling.

Marie smiled also, but not the way her sister did. Marie's smile was devious. From the moment she had realized that her sister was a royalty, she had been totally jealous. It didn't seem fair that Nora, her adoptive little sister, got to be a Princess, while Marie, the older one, was still just a commoner.

All the time that she had spent together with her sister today, Marie had been thinking about a way to somehow get back at her sister. And now Nora had herself given her the idea of how Marie could make Nora's life in the palace unpleasant.

* * *

At the same time when Marie and Nora shared their conversation, Julian found her soon-to-be wife in their room, standing by the window with a thoughtful look on her face.

"Penny for your thoughts," Julian said as he put his hands around her gently.

"Hi," Anneliese said quietly, turning her head enough to kiss the man's cheek.

"What are you thinking about?" Julian asked, looking in the Princess's blue eyes that had a spark of worry in them.

"I'm just wondering if we can keep our secret until the wedding," Anneliese answered, putting her hand to her stomach.

"No one can find out," Julian assured her kindly.

"I know, I'm just afraid they will," Anneliese agreed. "But no one can know that I got pregnant before getting married. Because I know it's improper."


	73. The dispute

Nora was enjoying a stroll in the royal garden when she noticed Mrs. Fillberg coming towards her from where the dungeons were. The Princess waved to the woman, and she started to come towards her.

Marie had left the palace some time ago and had promised to visit again in a couple of days.

"Why, hello, my dear!" Mrs. Fillberg said when she reached Nora.

"Hi! Did you meet my Fa... Richard?" Nora asked.

"I did," the older woman replied. "It's unbelievable! He told me what he did to the King. I would have never thought he would do such a thing. But I still don't understand why he did this. He refused to tell me the reason."

"So," Nora asked, "you don't know?"

"No, he only told me that it was an old story concerning Her Majesty, the Queen," Mrs. Fillberg replied, an inscrutable look on her face.

"Oh," Nora only said, understanding that her Father didn't want Mrs. Fillberg to know that she was his and the Queen's daughter. "But what about the Inn?" she changed the subject.

"Richard left it for me to take care of," Mrs. Fillberg answered. "He is planning to make me the owner of the place, but it will take some time to arrange."

"Oh, okay."

"I saw the Queen," Mrs. Fillberg said after a moment of silence. "She was heading to the prison when I left the place. I believe you told me you two were related?"

Nora nodded, but didn't say anything else about it.

* * *

The guard took Queen Genevieve to the cage where they were holding Richard. He then left as the Queen asked him to.

"Genevieve!" Richard called when he saw the Queen. He got up from his seat, and hurried to the bars that separated him from the royal woman. Her wheelchair had been stopped just by the bars. "I can't even tell you how happy I am that you are okay. After what happened..." he said merrily.

Genevieve looked at him disdainfully. "Happy? Are you? I am an invalid again because of you."

"Genevieve, I... I am most sad to find out that you are in this condition," Richard said in a somewhat guilty and also astonished voice. "But it is really not my fault. You were the one to shoot the arrow. I tried to stop you!"

"Nevertheless, it is your fault," Genevieve replied, watching the man sternly. "If you hadn't harmed my Preminger... He survived by the way, and he is recovering."

Richard nodded with a gloomy countenance. "Then this was all for no reason."

"Why, you really wanted him to die! You are even more horrible than I thought," Genevieve said scornfully.

"Is that why you came here? To tell me how awful I have been?" Richard asked. "Or did you come to implore me to keep it a secret that you almost killed yourself with my bow?"

"I didn't come to beg anything from you," Genevieve replied. "I do not care if you would tell anyone. They wouldn't believe you. The two of us and my daughter are the only ones who know, and it shall stay this way."

"I wouldn't be so sure about that," Richard warned her. "It would be a shame when your people would know how their Queen endangers herself."

Genevieve ran out of things to say to him, and instead called for the guard to take her away. But as the guard was about to take the Queen away, Richard dropped his anger for her, and asked, "Will you come again, Genevieve?"

The Queen only cast an insolent glance at the prisoner before she left.

The visit had not gone as she had hoped. To tell the truth, she had not known what she expected from the visit. But the both of them, Genevieve and Richard, felt bad after the dispute.


	74. Friends after all

Anneliese met her mother outside the palace when a guard from the royal prison took her to the castle. She let the guard go back to his work, and escorted her mother instead of him.

"Are you feeling better today?" the Princess asked from her mother.

"Yes, quite," Genevieve answered, smiling. Her daughter could always bring a smile to her face, and she could easily forget about the meeting with Richard. "Could we stay out in the gardens for a little longer? Or do you have some other duties?" Her Majesty asked when her daughter moved her wheelchair towards the castle.

"I have a meeting, but there's still some time," Anneliese answered, and they headed towards the flower gardens.

* * *

"Why can't the seamstresses make the wedding dresses?" Dominic asked again. "It is their job."

"They have a lot to do lately," Julian explained. "They refuse to make them simply."

"Oh, but that's no problem!" Erika said jovially. "I can make the dresses for me and Anneliese."

"You, my dear? But I have heard it brings bad luck if a bride sews her own wedding dress," Dominic said.

"Oh, that's nonsense! I would love it," Erika said.

"Alright, but it will take you some time right?" Julian questioned.

"Don't underestimate me. And we have time. The guests will come from other kingdoms too, and it will take them time to get here. It's the wedding of royals after all!"

Julian nodded in agreement, but he was actually worried. The longer it took, the more they had to hide Anneliese's pregnancy.

* * *

The Princess and the Queen had stopped in the rose garden where some late roses were still in bloom.

"You haven't told anyone, have you?"

"About what?" Anneliese asked.

"About the shooting," Genevieve said. "That I.."

"No, no! I haven't," Anneliese replied quickly. She was a good liar. "Your secret is safe with me."

"Thank you, darling," Genevieve said as she smiled to the young girl. "I know I can trust you."

The Queen didn't notice he daughter's nervous smile.

Anneliese turned to look in the direction of the castle, and gasped when she saw the time on the grand clock. "I must be going! The meeting with the Trading Company from the town that I can't remember starts in five minutes."

"Oh, of course. Go on then," Genevieve agreed.

"But I can't leave you here alone," Anneliese told her. "You can't move by yourself. I think I'll take you to the castle with me, okay?"

"Alright," Genevieve sighed. "Although I was enjoying being outside."

When Anneliese turned towards the castle with her mother, she spot Lilliana by the palace. The Princess waved and called the woman to them.

"Why, hello, Your Majesties!" Lilliana greeted them when she reached the two royals.

"Hi! Listen, Lilliana, I need to go, could you look after my mother?" Anneliese asked quickly, and Lilliana nodded instantly.

"Of course, you go right ahead."

"Thank you," Anneliese replied and hurried towards the castle.

Lilliana chuckled lightly. "Just like her mother!" she said about the Princess.

"I think she will make a wonderful Queen one day," Genevieve agreed and smiled at the other woman. She was happy to be accompanied by Lilliana. They were getting along pretty well lately.

"Is it okay with you if I will escort you?" Lilliana asked shyly. "I mean, after all that I have done."

"Lilliana, I'm not afraid of you. We are friends now, aren't we? You have changed," Genevieve said kindly. "You don't need to doubt that anymore."

Lilliana's face lit up with a grateful smile. "Thank you, Your Majesty."

"It's Genevieve for you," the Queen smiled. "Were you on your way to somewhere?" she asked then. "Because if you were, then I'm sure my maid could look after me."

"I wasn't going anywhere," Lilliana answered. "But your maid has gone out with the gardener, so we shouldn't disturb them."

The both of them laughed lightly. "Definitely not," Genevieve agreed.

"In that case you will have to do with me," Lilliana said as they headed for another part of the gardens.


	75. Saving the Queen at any cost

Adella was walking in the palace halls when she saw her Father. The Doctor had allowed Preminger to go about his business, because he wasn't injured too badly. His shoulder was bandaged, but his countenance was as haughty as ever.

He was now on his way to a business meeting. The life of the King is not easy!

"Father!" Adella hurried to Preminger happily. "I am so happy that you are okay!" she said, and before Preminger could even respond, she hugged the shorter man merrily.

The sudden move had come unexpected to Preminger, but he had to admit that he was happy to be loved. He finally had his true family.

* * *

Lilliana and Genevieve had reached the other part of the flower garden. Some of the roses were still in bloom, but the phloxes that Genevieve loved the most were yet to bloom.

The women had gossiped about the castle servants, feeling themselves like young girls again. They had a good time together, and they had a lot to talk about.

"Oh, the phloxes are in bloom already!" Genevieve noticed when she looked around in the garden. "I've had so little time to come out here that I hadn't seen them before."

"The flowers are indeed very beautiful," Lilliana agreed and stopped the Queen's wheelchair before one flower bed. "But the phloxes mean the end of the summer."

"Yes, they do. They are nevertheless my favorite flowers," Genevieve said. She leaned forward to smell the flowers.

"Wait, I'll pick you some of them," Lilliana offered, and squatted down beside the flowers.

Genevieve watched as she picked the flowers, with a gentle smile on her face.

But when Lilliana turned farther from her, Genevieve's wheelchair began to move slowly. The garden was on top of a slope, and the Queen's chair began to move down the slope slowly.

"Lilliana," Genevieve said when her wheelchair began to move, in a scared voice.

The other woman turned towards her. "Where are you going?" Lilliana asked, not understanding that the Queen wasn't moving the wheelchair herself.

"Help me!"

The wheelchair began to move faster, and Lilliana hurried after it, realizing that the chair was out of control.

Genevieve took hold of her chair's arms, frightened of the speed she was picking up. Looking ahead, she noticed the road that left the palace, and she was moving straight towards it. And in addition to that, a coach was coming towards her in a quick pace.

"Try to stop the chair!" Lilliana called to the Queen as she hurried after her. She couldn't let anything happen to Genevieve.

But Genevieve couldn't stop the wheelchair, it was going too fast. She could only watch as she came closer to the road, and the carriage was coming this way. Soon, the wheelchair slowed down, and Genevieve hoped that she would stop before the road. But she stopped exactly on the road, the coach was dangerously close and the coachman hadn't noticed her.

Just before the carriage could have hit Genevieve, she was pushed out of the way by Lilliana.

The Queen saw as the carriage stopped, and the horses that dragged the vehicle raised on their rear legs. A loud thump sounded when Lilliana was hit by one of the horses' hoof, and she fell on the ground, unconscious.


	76. The illness of a friend

Preminger climbed out of the carriage with an angry expression on his face.

"What do you think you were doing, coachman?!" he asked from the man in the front of the vehicle. "I fell out of my seat!" He smoothed his coat, annoyed. And then he noticed his wife before the coach, her eyes wide with fear and her hands holding on tight to the wheelchair's arms.

"Genevieve, my dear!" he said in surprise and shock, and hurried to the Queen. "What are you doing here? Are you alright?"

"Yes-yes, of course," Genevieve answered in a shaky voice and avoided Preminger's next question. "But Lilliana..." She turned his attention to the other woman. Lilliana was laying on the road, eyes closed, and a small trickle of blood on her forehead.

Preminger, as well as the coachman, quickly squatted down beside Lilliana, worried.

"Is she okay?" the Queen asked from behind them. A cold feeling went through her heart when she thought that maybe Lilliana was gone now.

The coachman rised up hurriedly and hurried towards the castle after saying, "We need a doctor."

Preminger touched Lilliana's cheek gently, even feeling some true worry for her in his mostly selfish heart. The unconcious woman's chest moved slowly as she breathed quietly. The King looked up at his wife, seeing even more fear in her eyes.

* * *

Anneliese was coming from the meeting with the Trading Company, when she met her fiancé in the castle hall.

"Hello, my loved ones," Julian said and kissed the Princess briefly. Anneliese looked around quickly.

"Julian! Someone might see," she told him, seemingly huffy. "And you cannot speak of that so loud." She put her hand to her stomach.

"Sorry, it's just that I'm very happy to see my wife-to-be after almost an hour of being apart of her," Julian replied playfully.

"You already miss me?" she asked jovially.

"Of course I do. But also I had to find you to tell you about the little meeting I had with Erika and Dominic." Anneliese gave him an interested look. "It turns out that the seamstresses will not make the wedding dresses, so Erika decided to do it herself. So you should discuss the things with her."

"But that brings bad luck!" Anneliese said. "When a bride sews her own wedding gown. And we don't have that much time."

"Dominic thought so as well, but Erika is excited to make them herself," Julian agreed. "And to be honest, we have the time. The wedding must be postponed, because the guests come from far away lands. It's the royal wedding after all."

Anneliese sighed. "You're right. But it gets harder every day to keep our secret."

* * *

Genevieve was waiting for any sign of life from Lilliana as she sat by her bed that evening. Her heart ached and her thoughts were worried. The woman in the bed was breathing quietly, she was alive. But for how long? Why didn't she wake up?

Suddenly Genevieve felt someone take her hand gently, and she jumped of surprise. When she looked up, she saw her husband standing beside her.

"You shouldn't worry yourself so much," Preminger said quietly. "Let's go."

Genevieve looked at him with sad eyes. "It's my fault."

Preminger shook his head silently. "It is not."

"She was saving me when that happened," Genevieve said in a guilty voice. "She wouldn't be like this if I hadn't..."

"If there's anyone to blame, then it's the coachman for not noticing the two of you," Preminger was certain. "Now come, there's nothing you can do here."

And they left the room silently.

No one knows what Lilliana saw in her dreams, but a single sparkling tear ran down her face.


	77. At the Breakfast table

At the breakfast table the next day everyone was quite silent. Anneliese, Erika, and their fiancés were thinking of their future weddings, two of them about their unborn child. Nora thought of Richard in disappointment, and of Marie happily. The King and Queen's thoughts twirled around Lilliana, the Queen's more concernedly.

Finally Adella spoke up. "Has anyone seen my mother?" she asked, and everyone looked up, slightly surprised at the breaking of the silence. "I don't remember her telling me why she wasn't coming to breakfast."

"I saw her last yesterday afternoon," Nora replied.

"I haven't seen her since yesterday afternoon in the garden," Anneliese added helpfully.

"I wouldn't know where she is," Erika said, and Dominic also shook his head.

All heads turned towards the end of the table when Preminger coughed. He looked expectantly at the Queen beside him, a question in his eyes.

"Well," Genevieve started uneasily. "She is not here because... She's at the doctor's." Everyone looked shocked, and Adella was frightened. "She was hit by a horse's hoof yesterday. I don't know how she's doing at the moment," she added before anyone had a chance to ask any questions.

"My mother is... Why? Why was she hit?" Adella asked warily, her voice shaky.

"She was saving me from being hit," Genevieve admitted. "It was heroic of her."

Everyone stared at her for a moment longer, and the Queen sighed sadly.

"I must go and see her," Adella decided, breaking the silence once again. She started to get up, but was stopped by Anneliese's words.

"Not before you finish your breakfast. These few minutes won't change anything."

Adella reluctantly settled back down, and everyone continued to eat in silence.

"Marie is coming today," Nora announced. And that was the only interruption until the end of the meal. Everyone was deep in their worried thoughts about Lilliana or other personal matters.

When the wearing breakfast was over and everyone had gotten up from their seats - almost everyone, meaning Genevieve -, making their way to the doors, there was a knock and the doors opened before anyone had reached them. The Doctor walked in, and to everyone's surprise beside him walked Lilliana herself.

Everyone let out a sigh of relief, seeing the woman up on her feet and alright already. But their smiles fell when the Doctor spoke.

"Everyone, please don't rush." He held a hand up, looking pointedly at Adella who had started to step to her mother. The girl stopped in her tracks, looking interested in what the Doctor was about to say. "Everything will be explained to you soon, but for now please stay calm." He turned to face Lilliana who had an unreadable expression on her face. "Madam, please look around. Take your time, and then tell me if you know any of these people."

Everyone around the room frowned in confusion.

"What is this, Doctor?" Anneliese asked. Julian put a hand on her arm to quiet her down. He was having an idea what Lilliana's condition might be.

"Lilliana knows all of us for quite a long time now," Genevieve said, glancing around to find that she was hardly the only of with no clue of what was happening.

"You will have your answers soon, my ladies," the Doctor replied. "But now, please, let her think."

Everyone looked expectantly at Lilliana. She walked hesitantly over to Erika, looking into her face for a moment, and then moving on to the man next to her. She didn't stay for a long moment, and took a look at Nora next. She studied her face for a long moment and then walked on without a word. She looked at Anneliese, then back at Nora, and left without even looking at Julian. Lilliana stopped in front of Adella for the longest, eyeing her from head to toe, frowning in thought when Adella whispered, "Mother?" At that Lilliana stepped away and in front of Preminger. She looked down at the King's face and frowned, moving on quickly. Before Genevieve she bowed a little bit to get a better look of the woman sitting in the wheelchair. She studied her crown, her gown, the wheelchair for the longest, and then her blue eyes. A small smile flashed across Lilliana's face, and Genevieve returned the gesture. Then Lilliana returned to the Doctor's side and silently shook her head.

The Doctor nodded gravely and scribbled something in the notebook he was holding in his hand.

"Could you now tell us what is going on?" Dominic asked the question they all had in mind.

The Doctor sighed. "I'm very sorry to say this to you, but it would seem Madam Lilliana is suffering from amnesia, and a quite complete one at that."

All the women gasped in fright.

"Does that mean she really can't remember any of us?" Genevieve asked anxiously.

"This can't be true," Adella interrupted before the Doctor had a chance to say anything. She stepped forward and took her mother's hands. "Tell me it's not true. You haven't forgotten me, have you?" she asked, desperately seeking her mother's eyes for an answer.

Lilliana pulled her hands free from Adella's grasp gently. "I'm sorry, young lady. I don't know who you are," she said.


	78. Despair

After the shock at breakfast, Nora and Anneliese went to calm Adella. The poor girl was devastated that her mother didn't recognize her. Genevieve's daughters took her to another room to dry her tears and comfort her. Lilliana who had no clue how close these people were to her, was shown to her room by Julian. She was astonished by the beauty and size of the castle, something that Julian remembered thinking when he had first come here. The Doctor left instructions to tell Lilliana enough about everyone and everything, so that she would feel comfortable in the family's presence. And he asked them very sternly not to upset her in any way.

Genevieve was the second most worried person about Lilliana. She couldn't say why - the woman had inflicted so much pain on her, and yet they had been friends in the end, and Lilliana had saved her life at the cost of her own well-being. Because of that last fact, Genevieve felt guilty. She shouldn't have as there was nothing she could have done to prevent it, but she still did.

Not quite sure of what she was doing, the Queen headed for the dungeons after breakfast. The last visit to Richard had not gone as she had wished. She didn't want to be on bad terms with the man, even if he was so dangerous and imprisoned now.

A guard took her to Richard's cell, and after a dismissing nod of Genevieve's head he left.

The prisoner got up from his cold seat in the cell corner when he saw his visitor, and stepped to the iron bars that separated the two of them. "Genevieve," he said in a relieved tone. His voice was as rich as ever, but he looked quite down. "You came back," he stated happily.

Genevieve moved in front of the bars, and started, "Yes. I don't want to remain enemies. And I didn't mean to be so... rough, shall we say? I was very upset about everything that had happened."

"I am sorry," Richard said, interrupting the Queen. "I have done a bad thing, but I would never tell on you to anyone, and about that shooting."

He fell silent and looked expectantly at the Queen, squatting down to the level of the sitting woman. Genevieve smiled at him. "I am sorry, too," she admitted quietly. "I'm sorry that it never worked out between us."

Richard was delighted to hear her say that. He wasn't the only one to regret then. He reached out of his cell and took Genevieve's hand in his, gently squeezing it. "I don't regret anything more than going on that hunt that day," he said honestly, looking in the eyes of his one true love. He saw her eyes tearing up, but she rapidly blinked the tears away.

They stared into each other's eyes for a long moment, captivated by the memories that rushed back to them. Genevieve was amazed to find so much longing and love in Richard's look, somewhat regretting that she didn't feel the same way anymore.

Richard knew that the Queen didn't return his feelings. And how could she, after what he had done? But seeing his desired woman so close, yet so far, cut off from him by the iron bars and her marriage vows, was excruciating for him. He knew he should keep his distance, he knew it would only make things worse again, but he couldn't help reaching out his other hand to cup Genevieve's cheek.

For the slightest of moments Genevieve leaned in to his touch, and Richard felt happy for the moment. But then Genevieve flinched, slapping his hand away.

"Don't forget yourself!" she said sharply, shaking off his other hand that was holding hers.

"Forgive me, Genevieve," Richard said, ashamed. "I know, I shouldn't have done that." He looked up at the Queen, and in her eyes he could see disappointment mixed with sympathy.

"I should go now," Genevieve said after a long pause. She called the guard to take her away. In response to Richard's desperately questioning look, she said, "I will be back to see you again."

* * *

In the afternoon Adella entered Lilliana's room after knocking, finding her mother sitting on the sofa under a window. "Hello," Lilliana said, turning to face the girl.

"Hi," Adella replied, walking to the sofa. She looked at Lilliana hesitantly, and she offered a seat to her. She had never had to ask permission for it from her mother before, but since Lilliana didn't know her anymore she had to.

"So," Lilliana started with a smile, which somewhat eased Adella's anxiety. "As I gather, you are my daughter," she said in a questioning tone, all the while eyeing the girl's features for any familiar sign.

Adella nodded, a sad expression on her face. "It's very odd, you know," she stated in a small voice. "That I know how close we are - or were -, and yet you have no clue." She looked up at Lilliana's face, and a sorrowful whimper escaped her lips. "I wouldn't blame you if you didn't even believe me when I said I was your daughter."

Lilliana quickly quieted her down, sitting closer to Adella, and putting an arm around her shoulders. "I do believe you, child. I do," she said soothingly. She didn't know the girl nor anything about her, but Lilliana had a kind heart, and she wanted to comfort this broken girl as best as she could. "But it would be easier for me if I knew your name," she said warily.

"Adella," the girl sobbed. And when Lilliana pulled her closer to help her stop crying, Adella suddenly clung onto her mother, bursting into tears. "It's like a nightmare!" she cried into the surprised woman's shoulder.

Lilliana held the crying girl close to herself, startled by this outburst of desperation, but determined to help the girl over it. "Shh, it will be better soon," she promised Adella, patting her head gently. "The Doctor told me it is possible I will regain my memories in time. And you can help me by telling be about myself, and you, and everyone around here."

Adella had stopped crying now, and slowly raised her head to look at Lilliana. Her mother looked at her kindly, and she sniffed. "I'm sorry," Adella uttered. "I shouldn't have cried like that."

"It's alright. You had to let it all out," Lilliana responded, smiling.

"But in your condition... I shouldn't have... You don't even know me..."

"I believe mothers are supposed to be there for their children," Lilliana said, and wiped at a tear on Adella's cheek. The girl smiled. "Now, perhaps you could tell me more about everything? I have been in a daze this whole morning."


	79. Catching up with friends

Adella told Lilliana everything she should know about the people at the castle, the basic facts. She didn't think she would be ready by night if she were to tell her everything that had been going on in the last months. She had just started to explain Lilliana and Genevieve's relationship, when the Queen herself knocked on the door. Lilliana invited her in, and the mother and daughter both stood up from their seats, a normal thing to do in the presence of royalty.

"No, please, sit," Genevieve objected. A maid took her to the other two, and then left at the dismissal of Genevieve. "I just came to check on you," she told Lilliana. She looked at both Adella and Lilliana, and smiled. "I'm glad the two of you are already getting along."

"We are," Lilliana said eagerly. "Adella has told me about the royal family and myself. I wouldn't have thought I had been married to the King! Of course, he wasn't King then, but still, what an honour."

Genevieve chuckled. This eagerness was the influence of Adella.

"And she just started to tell me about you, Your Majesty," Lilliana continued, but before she could add anything, Genevieve interrupted her.

"Genevieve. Just Genevieve to my friends."

"Are we friends then?" Lilliana asked curiously. "Well, I mean, we could be. I wouldn't know."

"We are," Genevieve answered without the slightest doubt. She didn't even bother thinking of what Lilliana had been like when she had first come here, that was in the past now. Lilliana had saved her life more than once now. And that real Lilliana was her friend.

"That's so good to know." Lilliana smiled at the Queen. But then she frowned. "Adella hasn't told me this yet. Why are you in a wheelchair? It would not be expected from a Queen. Or is it a very sensitive subject?" She looked alarmed.

Before Adella could say anything, Genevieve spoke, "It's nothing serious. A small accident, which caused a loss of strength. I'll be better very soon." Adella stared at her but didn't make a sound.

"Oh," Lilliana was satisfied with the answer.

"Before I forget, Adella, Nora wanted to see you about something or other. You could find her now. It's half an hour till lunch," Genevieve said. "We'll meetsoon enough."

"Alright," Adella agreed and got up. "Do you know the way to the dining room?" she asked Lilliana, and would have almost laughed at the stupidity of this question.

"I think so," Lilliana nodded. "I've been there today. God, it's good to remember something!"

The three of them laughed at that, and Adella took Genevieve out of her mother's room.

* * *

When they were far enough from Lilliana's door, Adella asked, "Why did you say it was an accident?"

"Because your mother has been through enough already. It would only add to her worries if she knew all the things she has done in the past," Genevieve explained. "And the Doctor said we must not upset her. So you, nor anyone, must tell her about... her conspiracies against me."

"Alright. I'll try to keep it quiet," Adella promised. For a moment they continued their way in silence, and then Adella remembered something. "Doesn't this situation remind you of something? It's not often I push your wheelchair through the castle," she said with a smirk.

Genevieve immediately knew what she meant. "I do not want to repeat that race to the orchard, thank you very much," she said playfully.

* * *

Marie arrived at the castle before lunch although she was expected after it. She passed the guards easily because they had been informed about her visit and her connection to Nora. Marie wandered around the castle aimlessly, amazed by the grand building, wondering what it was like to live in this place. And then she happened to hear a very curious conversation.

"Are you two coming?" she heard an obviously young man's voice say.

"Julian, I have told you! Not so loud," a female voice gently scolded him. "No one must know. Mother would have a fit, to say nothing of the disappointment."

"I'm sorry - I'm sorry. I will try to keep my happiness under control," the man called Julian said. "No one will hear of it from me."

There was a moment of silence, which in Marie's opinion could have meant either a stare or a kiss.

"Come now, we don't want to be late for lunch," the woman said, and Marie saw two young, well-dressed people walking down the hall.

"How very interesting," she thought to herself.


	80. Secrets out

In a couple of days Marie was once again in the castle, and yet again early. Hoping to hear some more royal secrets, she wandered around the corridors until she was back in the main hall where she had started. She was about to finally go and look for Nora, when she heard someone enter, and turned towards the doors.

Genevieve's shot shoulder was recovering quickly, and she could use her arm well enough now to move by herself in her wheelchair. She greeted Marie with a genuine smile. "Good afternoon, Marie," she said, moving into the room.

"Your Majesty," Marie replied with a low curtsy. She wondered why the Queen was alone. As far as she knew, the royals should have an escort where ever they went. Or was it just what they told the commoners to appear more important?

"You must be here for Nora," Genevieve assumed. "She will be here in a moment."

"Yes, I'm going to meet her," Marie said. "I believe I'm a bit early." She watched as the Queen started to move past her without another word.

Never mind the kind smile on Genevieve's face, Marie didn't like this woman. She didn't like this family. And she didn't like her sister for being a part of it. Why, she couldn't tell. Probably because she thought it was unfair that some people had so much power just because they were born in the right family, while she was still a simple peasant girl, with no real importance to her. She didn't know that the Queen herself had started out as a peasant herself.

"You know, Your Majesty," Marie said, a smirk barely hidden, "I admire you." The Queen looked up at her in surprise. "For being so kind to Nora," Marie said, her voice sounding honestly thankful. "I mean, after all she's done to you." Acting, she clapped a hand over her mouth in fake surprise.

"What ever do you mean?" Genevieve asked in confusion.

"I shouldn't have said that," Marie said in fake regret. "Nora asked me not to."

"What is it?" Genevieve grew curious. "What didn't she want you to tell me about?"

"Well..." Marie hesitated. "She caused the fire in the castle some time ago. And she was responsible for Richard coming here." She peeked at the Queen in glee well hidden.

"I... I don't understand," Genevieve uttered. "You must have heard it wrong," she was sure.

"No, she told me," Marie said with bravery. "She told me how she had started the fire... And when it comes to Richard, she wanted to bring her mother and father together again. I can understand her on that. It must be awful to know that your parents don't get along, let alone presume the other is dead." She considered the facts for a moment, before adding, "Perhaps it was her idea?"

"What do you mean?" Genevieve said with difficulty, trying to understand what was being said to her.

"Maybe she gave Richard the idea about Preminger," Marie explained, watching in satisfaction as the Queen became uncertain.

Genevieve considered everything silently. She couldn't believe anything bad from her daughter, but everything Marie had said sounded true. When the Queen looked up again, Marie was watching her nervously, obviously wondering what was going to happen now.

"I see," the Queen finally said as calmly as she could. "It's hard to believe that Nora would ever do anything like that, but thank you for telling me."

"I'm so sorry," Marie said, giving the Queen a sad look. "I didn't mean to turn you against your own daughter."

"You haven't," Genevieve assured her, although in a slightly hesitant voice. "I should be going now," she added after a long pause. Slowly, she made her way out of the room.

The Queen did not look back when she left. But if she would have turned, she would have seen a devilish grin on Marie's face.

* * *

"So that man did it from jealousy?" Lilliana asked, walking down the hall with Adella that afternoon.

"I guess so," Adella answered, remembering what she knew about Richard. "The poor Queen was quite keen on locking him up. I mean, that's why she-" She stopped mid-sentence.

"Why she - what?" Lilliana asked curiously. Adella had been telling her about the life at the castle, explaining all the difficult relationships around here.

"Well, I shouldn't say this," Adella replied guiltily, "but Genevieve shot herself." She peeked up at her mother warily. "She has said that she wanted him to regret his deeds. But you must not tell anyone," she added, seeing Lilliana's shocked expression. "I shouldn't know this myself, it just happened that I heard about it."

"Of course I won't tell anyone," Lilliana answered in a compassionate tone. "Who would I have to tell anyway? Poor Genevieve. I can't even imagine what she is going through these days." She felt sorry for the Queen who had against her own will been pulled into this hurricane of intrigues and family problems.

Lilliana couldn't have had any idea of her own part in this hurricane. She didn't know of her real relationship with the Queen. In her mind they were friends.


	81. Revelations

The next day's breakfast want the same way as the last dinner had - everyone was telling Lilliana as much as they could to bring her up to date with the life in the castle. But everyone kept their promise to the Queen, keeping silent about Lilliana's actions against Genevieve in the beginning.

"Anneliese, darling, is something the matter?" Genevieve asked when she was leaving the dining room beside her daughter.

"No," the Princess answered innocently. "Why do you ask?"

"You just seem so preoccupied with your thoughts, and you barely ate this morning," Genevieve said. "Is the wedding worrying you?" she asked concernedly.

"No, not at all," Anneliese replied again, fidgeting suspiciously. "I'm all right. I just didn't want to eat." With that piteous answer, she hurried away to one of her meetings.

* * *

The time passed quickly, and soon it was time for lunch. Genevieve wandered around the hall, looking for someone to help her down the stairs to the dining room with her wheelchair. She was not yet confident enough to get up and walk on her own, although the doctor had said she should be able to by now.

Her maid had disappeared somewhere, and Genevieve was really glad when she found Lilliana. The woman was heading towards the stairs herself, going to the dining room.

"Lilliana!" Genevieve called to get her attention.

Lilliana turned and saw the Queen coming towards her. She smiled, and approached her. "Genevieve," she said. "Are you coming to lunch?"

"Yes, I am," Genevieve replied, making her way to the stairs. "But I can't get to the ground floor myself. And I seem to have lost my maid somewhere. Could you help me?" she asked.

"Of course," Lilliana replied, moving to the back of Genevieve's chair. "I'll be careful," she promised.

But moving the wheelchair to the first step, she suddenly stopped. Her hands started to tremble, and she began to pant. A blurry vision appeared before her eyes...

_"Lilliana, I beg of you, let me go," Genevieve said._

_"Not until you agree to do what I want," Lilliana said, and pushed the wheelchair's first wheels down two steps._

_"Pull me back, please!"_

_..._

_The Queen let out a small scream when she fell out of the wheelchair. Genevieve rolled down the stairs with no way to stop herself._

"No," Lilliana whispered in fright. "I didn't..." She let go of the Queen's wheelchair, and stepped away.

"Lilliana? What's wrong?" Genevieve asked, looking at the other woman over her shoulder.

Lilliana looked at Genevieve, scared. "No-no, I can't," she uttered, and rushed away, down the hall.

"Lilliana!" Genevieve called after her. She was confused. She wondered what she had done to scare Lilliana away like that.

* * *

Lilliana didn't go to lunch. Instead she wandered around the castle aimlessly, thinking about her vision. She didn't know what it was that she had seen. It couldn't have been a memory. She didn't remember anything, and surely she would have been told if she had done something horrible like that. Nevertheless the sight had scared Lilliana, the mere thought of pushing Genevieve down the stairs was horrifying.

Lilliana decided to try and forget about the whole thing, because she was sure that if she were to tell somebody about her vision, they would think she was going crazy.

As she passed yet another door that led into another one of the castle's countless rooms, Lilliana heard a voice from the inside. It was Marie's voice. Lilliana knew that because she had met her at dinner on the day before.

"I can't believe you've done this," Marie spoke in the room. "After all your mother's done for you, you can't just go on about stealing from her!"

Lilliana gasped, and clapped a hand over her mouth to keep silent.

"You are lucky we are sisters, or I would go and tell the Queen about this right now," Marie said. "Put that back! Now, I'm late for lunch."

At the sound of nearing footsteps, Lilliana quickly moved out of the way, around the corner. She saw Marie leave the room and head downstairs. In her shock of this discovery she missed Marie's wicked chuckle.

It was not hard for Lilliana to understand to whom Marie had been talking - the girl only had one sister, and that was Nora. From all she knew about Nora, Lilliana had assumed she was a nice girl, and that was what the others around the castle thought as well. But now Lilliana had heard some shocking news, and had to inform the Queen about it right away.

In her haste she forgot to check if Nora really had been in that room with Marie. In truth, Marie had been alone, and she had known that Lilliana was right behind the door.


	82. Mother vs Daughters

"Genevieve!" Lilliana called when she entered the throne room after lunch, finding the Queen.

"Lilliana, are you quite well?" Genevieve asked in return. "What happened to you before lunch?"

"That's not important," Lilliana replied, walking to the Queen. "I've heard something awful." At Genevieve's curious face, she continued, "Marie said that Nora has stolen from you. I don't know what it was, but she took something, and Marie scolded her for it. I happened to pass by, so I heard."

Genevieve's expression was one of shock at first, but it soon turned serious. "I see," she said in a low voice. And the next moment she saw Marie passing the throne room's open doors. "Marie! Could you come in here, please?" she called to the girl, and Marie came inside.

"Yes, Your Majesty?" she asked.

Genevieve hesitated for a moment before asking, "Did Nora steal from me?"

Marie faked a surprised expression. "How did you know? I mean, I should have told you, but I promised her I wouldn't," she said in regret. "She did take something of yours, but I made her return it. Of course, I wouldn't know if she has taken anything else before that."

Lilliana looked at the Queen to find disappointment there, but instead Genevieve looked serious. "I should have listened to you before, Marie," Genevieve said, and called the guard that had stood beside the room's doors. "Bring my daughter here," she ordered.

"Which one, Your Majesty?" the guard asked.

"If I would have wanted you to bring the Princess, I would have said so," replied the Queen impatiently.

The guard bowed quickly, and left the room in a hurry.

"What are you planning to do?" Lilliana asked in concern.

"What I should have done right after she tried to burn this place down," Genevieve said in a dark voice.

In a couple of minutes, the guard was back. He stopped beside the doors, guiding Nora inside. With her came Anneliese and Adella who had been with her when the guard had called Nora to meet the Queen.

"Mother. What's this all about?" Nora asked when the three young women stopped in front of the Queen. She eyed Marie curiously.

"Maybe you can tell me," Genevieve replied in a questioning manner.

"I don't understand," Nora said in confusion.

"Marie has told me that you have stolen from me," Genevieve stated. The three girls in front of her looked at her in shock and disbelief. Genevieve waited for a response.

"But I haven't," Nora uttered after a long moment of silence. She looked at Marie questioningly, but Marie only nodded.

"Don't lie to me anymore," Genevieve said sharply. "I've had enough. And that's not all, is it? You haven't just stolen, you have also tried to burn my castle down because I didn't admit to be your mother. And you invited your father here so that he would kill my husband!"

"No!" Nora shrieked in fright. "I didn't mean to..." Her voice broke and a tear rolled down her cheek. She looked around at the faces of the women around her, desperately seeking for someone's help.

"Mother, this is crazy," Anneliese spoke up. "You can't possibly believe that Nora would do anything like this."

"Anneliese, I am quite sure of what I am doing," Genevieve said in a menacing manner, and turned to Nora. "After what you've done, Nora, I can't have you under this roof anymore."

"Mother!" Anneliese exclaimed in shock, moving to her sister's side. "How can you say that?"

Genevieve was not moved by her daughter's reproachful tone and her other daughter's tears. She made a mistake of not stopping to listen to Nora's explanation to any of these accusations. "Nora is my daughter in my castle, and it is for me to decide whether I want her to stay or leave."

"But she is also my sister, and this castle is my home just as much as it is yours," Anneliese bit back. "I will not let you send her away," she said sternly, wrapping an arm around Nora, who was watching the mother-daughter fight anxiously.

"Mother, why don't you say something?" Adella said, looking at Lilliana.

"What can I say? She did steal," Lilliana was sure.

"I didn't!" Nora cried. "And it's not my fault that Richard tried to kill Preminger. I didn't call him here for that. And the fire was an accident."

Genevieve's stern expression didn't change.

"Marie, what lies have you spread about Nora?" Anneliese accused Marie who was standing next to the Queen silently.

"They're not lies," Marie said in a convincing tone. "And you of all people should not complain. Your secret is the biggest one in this family."

All the women now looked at the Princess questioningly. Anneliese was looking at Marie with fear in her eyes.

"No, Marie," she said, begging. She had instantly understood what the other was implying. "Don't say it. Not like this."

"What?" Genevieve asked, irritated. "What is it that you know about my daughter?"

"Oh, don't you know, Your Majesty?" Marie asked innocently, ignoring Anneliese's pleading look. "You're going to be a grandmother sooner than you think."

The room fell silent. Everyone stared at the Princess; Anneliese looked down.

"Is that true?" Adella asked eventually. "You're going to have a baby?"

Anneliese nodded silently.

"Anneliese," Genevieve said in a faint voice. "How could... Why haven't you told me?" Her anger was completely gone. Now she was just bewildered.

"I was going to tell you right after the wedding," Anneliese said, her voice full of regret. "The wedding is four days away, you can't tell anyone," she pleaded her mother. "It would ruin me."

Genevieve watched as her daughter stepped to her and squatted down before her. Anneliese's eyes were full of worry and fear. After a fight like this, she wasn't sure if her mother and the others around them would keep her secret.

Genevieve caressed Anneliese's hair fondly. "I won't tell," she said quietly. "I hope you know that... I wouldn't do anything to hurt you." Tears appeared in her eyes, and she turned to look away.

"Could you all leave us?" she said in a louder voice.

Everyone had been staring at the two royals expectantly, but now they quickly turned and left the room. They were all surprised at the sudden change in the Queen's mood.

Nora was shaken after what her mother had said to her. And she was angry at Marie for telling on her, and lying.

Marie left quickly. Her moment of glory had ended quickly. The Queen trusted her now but Marie hadn't been aiming for that. Genevieve had told Nora to get out, and that was what Marie had been wishing for. She just couldn't stand it when her sister was living a good life at the castle while she was still a nothing. Now she hoped she had had her revenge.

Lilliana was perplexed. This fight had been a nasty one, but she wasn't sure who had won. She wanted to believe Nora, since she and Adella and the Princess had been very convincing. But Lilliana had distinctly heard Marie talk to Nora about the stealing. Lilliana still didn't realize that she hadn't heard Nora's voice in that conversation at all.

Adella tried to convince her mother that Nora was innocent. She knew that Lilliana didn't quite know everything that was going on at this castle, but she would not let her keep believing that Nora was a thief.

Anneliese's secret had shocked them all.

"Mother, I'm sorry," Anneliese said in a sorrowful tone, looking up at her mother. "I know I shouldn't have... But I can't do anything about it now. I didn't tell you because I thought you would be angry."

"Shh, calm down, darling," Genevieve said in a soothing voice. She petted her Princess's head that was resting on her lap. "I am not angry. I'm sad that you didn't trust me enough to tell me, but I'm not angry. I've been unmarried and pregnant myself, so I can't really blame you."

A quiet sob escaped Anneliese.

"You must not worry about a thing," Genevieve promised her.


	83. Goodbye

In the same evening Lilliana went to search for the Queen. She wished to know if Genevieve would really send Nora away. Adella had tried her best to convince her mother that Nora was no thief, and now Lilliana wasn't sure anymore; on which side should she be. She couldn't find the Queen at the castle, and one of the guards told her that Her Majesty had gone to the dungeons.

"What has she gone there for?" Lilliana had wondered in surprise.

"Why, Her Majesty is visiting the latest prisoner; Richard, as I recall," the guard had answered before the woman had taken off towards the prison.

* * *

Genevieve silently made her way to Richard's cell. The man had heard her coming, and was by now sitting close to the iron bars that separated him from the Queen.

His eyes held an apologetic look, longing for the woman's forgiveness for what he had done the last time they had met. Genevieve smiled a kind, yet sad, smile, having forgiven the man already.

She came to a stop in front of Richard's cell, closer to the bars than anyone would find appropriate.

"Richard," Genevieve started, but she couldn't find another word to say. She looked into Richard's eyes for a long moment. His look held his love, his regret, and his pain. He could see in her eyes that the Queen didn't love him anymore, not the way she had before. But he couldn't help hoping.

After a long moment of intense silence, Genevieve averted her eyes from Richard's, looking down as she said, "I have come to say goodbye, Richard."

The quiet, full of sorrow words stroke Richard like a knife, and the last spark of hope died down.

"I think it would be best if we wouldn't see each other anymore," Genevieve continued. "I won't be coming here anymore after today. To avoid scenes like the one last time. I see how you feel about me, and I should hate to hurt you further." She finally looked up, eyes sparkly with tears, waiting for a response.

Richard still looked her straight in the eyes. His heart refused to believe what was happening, but his mind understood that it was really the end this time. He simply nodded his head in silent agreement. He watched Genevieve open her mouth to say something more, but the Queen hesitated.

A moment later she whispered, "I should like to say goodbye properly," leaning forward, towards the cell.

Richard recognized his last chance of momentary happiness, and leaned closer to the woman himself. Due to the wide spacings between the bars he was able to reach out his hand to touch his Queen's cheek tenderly. He brought her face closer to his, and saw her closing her eyes, a tear trickling down her cheek. As they closed the space between them, and his lips gently touched hers, Richard was happy for the moment.

* * *

Genevieve took her leave right after the kiss, brushing away tears as she moved through the corridors of the dungeons. She didn't love the man anymore, and she couldn't describe the loss she felt, departing from him for the last time.

As the Queen turned a corner on her way outside, she saw someone turn another corner further ahead of her. She recognized the woman.

"Lilliana?" Genevieve called, her voice cracking because of the crying.

Lilliana turned around, pausing before she walked to the Queen. She cast her eyes downwards in embarrassment, and waited silently for the Queen's next words.

"What are you doing here?" Genevieve couldn't find a better way to make it sound.

Lilliana hesitated before saying, "I-I came to look for you." She looked up at Genevieve. "I won't tell anyone what I saw," she promised truthfully.

Genevieve instinctively wiped at her cheeks for any remains of the tears. "What ever do you mean?" she asked innocently.

"I mean you and Richard," Lilliana answered uncertainly. "I won't say anything except that I couldn't approve."

Genevieve was shocked for a moment at what Lilliana meant. But she quickly regained her calm. "It was a goodbye, nothing more," she explained.

Lilliana's eyes widened in realisation, and she stammered, "O-Oh, o-of course. I-I'm sorry. I didn't mean..."

"It's all right," Genevieve assured her. She would have thought the same thing in Lilliana's place. "What did you want to see me about then?" she asked, changing the subject as the two of them started to move towards the exit doors of the dungeons.

"About Nora," Lilliana shortly answered.

Genevieve sighed heavily. "Anneliese insists she stays, and I won't argue with her," she said.

"And what about her?" Lilliana questioned further.

"Her condition shall remain a secret," the Queen replied decisively. She looked sharply at the woman beside her, and Lilliana nodded innocently.

"I won't say a word," Lilliana promised.


	84. Pessimism

Lilliana and Genevieve returned to the castle together. They didn't speak a word about Richard anymore, however, Lilliana did tell the Queen how sorry she was for causing all the trouble with her daughters. Genevieve dismissed the apologies, saying that it was all bound to come out anyway.

As the two women made their way down the hall of the castle towards the dining room for dinner, suddenly Lilliana stopped beside some door. Genevieve came to a stop at her side, and watched Lilliana study a large vase on a small table next to the door. Lilliana's brow furrowed, she was deep in thought.

Lilliana tried to understand why she had a slight _deja vu_ feeling. A sharp pain stroke through her head as she suddenly seemed to remember a loud clash, the sound of breaking porcelain, and something heavy hitting the ground. Before her eyes flashed a picture of her own hands covered in blood from the woman lying before her.

"Are you alright, Lilliana?" Genevieve asked, watching Lilliana clasp her hands together and looking at them in scare, finding them as clean as ever.

Lilliana turned to face the Queen, her mouth open to say something, but she couldn't. She stared at Genevieve, recognizing her as the woman from her vision. Again shaking her head, Lilliana took a few steps away from the Queen.

"Lilliana? Can you tell me what's wrong?" Genevieve asked again, hoping to help.

"I'm..." Lilliana started in a small voice. "I'm sorry, Genevieve, I'm not feeling so well," she continued. "I think I should go and lie down for a while."

"If you think so," Genevieve agreed. "But you'll miss dinner."

"Oh, I'm not hungry," Lilliana lied, backing away hurriedly.

"I'll send someone to bring you a tray," Genevieve offered, determined to help.

"Thank you," Lilliana said. "I'll go then." She turned around quickly, and hastened down the hall, away from the Queen.

Lilliana didn't understand these sudden visions. She didn't know if they were memories or just some nonsense her mind made up. She wished to know, but she was not about to tell anyone of her murderous visions. Her thoughts clouded with worry, she returned to her room.

* * *

"Your Majesty, I believe you should be cured by now," the Doctor told the Queen the next day. "I don't see why you refuse to try."

"I've told you," Genevieve replied with a sigh. "With all the events of the last days I just don't feel strong enough yet."

"I beg your pardon, but there is no way any of these events could affect your physical health," the Doctor said, eyeing the royal in slight annoyance.

The Queen said nothing in return, and simply looked away. The stress of the last days had reduced her faith in herself, and while it would be better to be able to walk on her own, she wasn't sure if she could anymore.

"Please, Your Majesty," the Doctor said, standing in front of the Queen. "Try."

Genevieve looked up at him with her unwillingness to stand clear in her eyes. But she couldn't hold her firm stare for long because the man was smiling so kindly.

He held out his hands, saying, "I will help you."

Genevieve sighed in defeat, and eventually tried to get up from the wheelchair. "I still don't think it will do any good," she said quietly, pushing herself up from the chair. Her legs were stronger than she had hoped, but nevertheless she clung on to the Doctor once she got up.

"You're doing very well, my Queen," the Doctor encouraged, holding on to Genevieve's arms to steady her. Genevieve smiled up at him uncertainly. The Doctor then pushed the wheelchair with his leg, resulting it to move far enough so that the Queen could not sit back.

"Doctor!" Genevieve said in surprise and irritation. She looked up at the man, hoping to find an expression of apology for his sneaky move, but the Doctor smiled quite contentedly. She stumbled a bit farther from him, but not too far to be out of his reach.

"You won't be needing the wheelchair anymore, my Queen," the Doctor explained calmly. "Try and take a step," he instructed, and while the Queen was not at all satisfied with his method, she couldn't deny that she was happy to be on her feet again.

Genevieve took a step, still holding on to the Doctor's arms. She didn't fall. She sent a delighted smile at the Doctor, who seemed quite pleased himself. Genevieve took another step, and another, and soon she happily admitted to herself that she could indeed walk again.


	85. Memories

The next morning, Genevieve walked through the castle halls towards the throne room with the aid of a walking stick. She was absolutely delighted to be able to move on her own again after all the past events. The situation with Nora hadn't changed, but Genevieve was happy for the time being nonetheless.

When she entered the throne room, passing the guards at the doors, Genevieve headed for the other side of the room, only halfway there realizing that she was not alone. The doors of the small balcony to the right of the thrones were wide open. Genevieve went to look, and saw Lilliana out on the balcony.

The woman was standing out there, staring at seemingly nothing in particular. The late summer sun lighted Lilliana's beautiful face, but when she turned at the sound of the Queen's footsteps, her eyes held fear.

"Genevieve!" Lilliana greeted the Queen, replacing the expression of surprise with a smile. "Good morning."

"And to you," replied Genevieve, watching Lilliana closely. "I missed you at breakfast."

"I didn't feel up to it," Lilliana explained plainly. "You can walk again," she stated blankly before a smile graced her face again. "That's wonderful," she remarked.

"It is," Genevieve agreed, not once taking her eyes off Lilliana. "Lilliana, are you all right?" she asked finally. She wasn't mistaking when she saw worry in Lilliana's look.

"Of course. Why do you ask?" Lilliana replied, starting to leave the balcony. She passed the Queen swiftly, her eyes fixed on the royal.

"Because you look troubled," Genevieve answered, following the other woman back into the throne room. "You have since that time before lunch," she continued, determined to get to the bottom of her friend's problem. "What is it that's worrying you? You can tell me," she said helpfully.

Lilliana turned back towards the Queen, her smile now gone and a complete look of worry on her face. "You'll think I'm mad," Lilliana said quietly.

"I couldn't," Genevieve assured her. "Not in your... situation." She stepped closer to Lilliana, regarding her kindly.

Lilliana still hesitated, now looking at the kind royal in slight fear. "I... I've been seeing these - I don't know - visions," she finally said. "They're like nightmares. They haunt me, and I can't figure out why I keep seeing them." She peeked up at the Queen's face and saw mild interest and no criticism.

"Yes?" Genevieve inquired when Lilliana stopped.

"Well," Lilliana continued nervously. "They are about you."

Genevieve looked at her in surprise, wondering why Lilliana would be seeing her in her visions. But since she was soon to find out, she gave Lilliana an encouraging look, and after another moment of hesitation, she dared to speak again.

"The first one was on that day when we were going to lunch," Lilliana told Genevieve, "and when I was supposed to help you down the stairs. That's when I saw myself pushing you down the stairs. I saw you begging me to stop, but I didn't. I saw you tumbling down the stairs."

"So that's why you ran off?" Genevieve asked when Lilliana fell silent. "You were frightened by what you saw?"

"Of course I was," Lilliana said. "I was scared. I could never hurt you like that."

Genevieve instantly thought back to the time when Lilliana had indeed hurt her. She remembered very well how she had pleaded with her, facing the fall from the stairs. In realization that the scene that Lilliana had just described had indeed happened, Genevieve glanced up at the other woman in slight shock. She wondered if it could be just a coincidence or if Lilliana really did remember that scene.

"And?" Genevieve asked after a long moment of silence.

"And," Lilliana continued, "when we were on our way back from the dungeons two days ago I saw myself hitting you with a vase. And I saw you lying on the floor with blood all over your head and my hands." She stopped. "Do you think I'm crazy?" she asked quietly.

"No," Genevieve assured her. "I do not. What happened then?"

"Well, today when I was on that balcony," Lilliana said, "I saw myself trying to push you down from there. I don't know if I would have succeeded, you came in the right moment." She finished in a small sob, and before Genevieve knew what was happening, Lilliana let herself sink to the floor. She sat there, her face buried in her hands. "I don't know what's wrong with me," she said in a feeble voice, "why I keep seeing these things."

Genevieve quickly sat down in front of her. She didn't care about how undignified it was to sit on the bare floor in the middle of the throne room, she had a friend to help.

"You're not mad," Genevieve told Lilliana kindly. "In fact, you're better than you have been since your accident." Lilliana looked up at her sheepishly. "Those visions of yours are not something your mind makes up; they are your memories."

Lilliana simply blinked at that. Her mind was working hard to connect the dots. "They can't be," she said. "That would mean that I was not your friend, but a horrible person," she reckoned. "Was I?"

"You were," Genevieve replied calmly. "But you were my friend when you lost your memory, and you are my friend now."

Lilliana stared at her in shock. "Are you saying that... I was murderous?" she asked in disbelief. "I can't believe it. Why haven't you told me?"

"We were determined to keep you from any harm that remembering you past could cause," Genevieve explained. "And since you didn't remember, I thought we could all put it behind us. And you would have been spared from these awful memories."

"But I don't understand this. After all I've done to you, how can we be friends?"

"Well, family connections are there in any way," Genevieve said. "But once we got things sorted out, you were not such a bad person. And after you saved my life we were even."

"Oh yes, from the fire that Nora started!" Lilliana said enthusiastically. Then she fell silent, repeating the newly discovered memory in her mind.

"Why yes. How did you know?" Genevieve said in surprise.

"I remember that now." Lilliana smiled in delight.

"You do?"

"I do," Lilliana said happily. "And I remember getting you your walking stick."

"I still don't know how you did it," Genevieve told her.

"Then I best keep it to myself," Lilliana said suspiciously, and smiled. "I remember now. I really do," she said.

"You're in for many more memories," Genevieve was sure. "I'm so happy for you," she said. And ignoring all her dignity, she hugged her friend.


	86. Forgiveness

Genevieve and Lilliana had just gotten up from the floor when the three of their daughters entered the room.

"Good morning, mother, Lilliana!" called Anneliese.

"Morning, girls," replied Genevieve, her eyes moving from her daughter to Adella. She avoided looking at Nora.

"It's absolutely delightful to see you on your feet again," Adella told the Queen with a smile. "Is everything alright, mother?" she asked Lilliana, who looked quite excited.

Before Lilliana had a chance to answer though, an attention-seeking cough sounded from the door. All five women turned to look at the castle guard who was holding Marie by the arm.

"What's this?" asked Genevieve, stepping forward.

"I'm terribly sorry to disturb Your Majesty," replied the guard, "but I found this young lady sneaking about the castle."

"I believe she was just waiting around for my daughter," said Genevieve plainly.

"I was not expecting her today," said Nora quietly, but Genevieve ignored her.

"With all due respect, Your Majesty, I don't believe she had any business wandering around your sitting room," continued the guard.

This came as a surprise to Genevieve. As silence settled itself upon the room, she eyed Marie closely. If she had been secretly snooping around one of her rooms, who was to say she hadn't done anything else behind her back. A pang of dread rushed through Genevieve when she realized how wrong she had been to trust Marie without question.

"Nora," the Queen said eventually. She was still staring at Marie, who looked quite uncomfortable now. "What did you want to tell me about the stealing? And the fire?"

At first Nora could not believe what she had heard her mother say, that she was really given a new chance to explain. "I told you I didn't steal anything," she was quick to answer. "I have no idea where Marie got this from. And the fire was an accident. I would never set this place on fire on purpose. Nor would I ever want to harm you."

"Now that I think of it," Lilliana added when Genevieve remained silent. "I only heard Marie's part of the conversation about the stealing. It could have been-"

"-that Nora wasn't even there!" finished Adella excitedly. "That would explain it all!"

"And..." said Genevieve, her tone much more gentle than before. "And what about Richard?"

"I didn't think he would do anything as drastic as this. I just wanted the two of you to meet again," Nora explained, carefully choosing her words. "I can't say how sorry I am that things turned out the way they did."

After a short silence, Genevieve told the guard, her tone decisive, "Take her away." She motioned towards Marie. "And let her never again return to this castle."

The others watched in surprise as the guard took a rather disappointed Marie out of the room. When the two of them were out of sight, Genevieve turned towards the other women, and everyone was surprised to see tears in the Queen's eyes. Genevieve walked over to Nora, and Anneliese took a respectful step farther.

"Nora," Genevieve started in a small voice. "I am so, so sorry. I should have listened to you. I should have trusted you. When Marie told me all those lies, I was too quick to judge. I don't think you could have done any of those awful things she told me about." Standing in front of her daughter, Genevieve didn't dare to look up at Nora, fearing that the reply to her apology would be cold. "Can you forgive me?"

When Nora took her mother's slightly trembling hands in hers, Genevieve finally looked up at her daughter. Nora was smiling, and her eyes were just as teary as Genevieve's. "Oh, mother," Nora said, but didn't trust her voice enough to continue. Instead she pulled Genevieve into a tight embrace. No words were needed between the two of them anymore. Nora forgave Genevieve without a second thought, her relief outshining any disappointment or anger.


	87. A gentleman from the past

"I hope Lord Bexley will make it here in time," Anneliese said that afternoon, regarding the letter in her hand. "He writes that his coach broke down when he was halfway to the kingdom. I imagine it must have been days ago."

"Well, I wouldn't mind it if he were to miss the wedding," noted Genevieve, entering the hall behind her daughter. "He's awfully loud at parties."

"I should say you're right," agreed Anneliese. "Erika has finished the dresses. It's a shame you missed the fitting."

"I'm sure the dresses are divine," Genevieve said. "Erika is very talented. It's quite a shame she doesn't make our gowns for us anymore."

"Well, I hope she won't stop sewing completely. It would be a waste," thought Anneliese. "Oh, I do hope it will be a beautiful day tomorrow. I should hate to rearrange everything. And we're all looking forward to an outdoors wedding."

"It hasn't rained for days; I don't see the slightest chance that it will on your wedding day," Genevieve assured her kindly.

Suddenly Anneliese turned towards her mother. "I'm feeling rather nervous, actually," she told Genevieve. "I don't know why that is; I am certain that everything will go well, but I just... Did you feel nervous before your first wedding?"

Genevieve thought about her answer for a moment. "Well..." she started, but couldn't continue. The doors to the hall had just opened, and the butler stood in the doorway, ready to announce the arrival of someone.

"Sir Cedric Wyndham," announced the butler, "Count of Roslynthal."

A tall well-built nobleman entered the hall. His dark wavy hair was not powdered, and his dark green coat hadn't a speck on it. He looked every bit sophisticated and fashionable. He looked by no means old, but the lines of his face indicated that he was not in his first youth anymore. He could have been a few years older than the Queen.

Anneliese didn't think she had ever seen this man before, but it soon became evident that her mother had.

When Genevieve saw the Count, a wide smile spread across her face, and she hurried forward. "Ceddie!" she called in delight, and was captured in a happy embrace by the gentleman.

"Genevieve," chuckled the Count when the Queen pulled away just enough to be able to look up at his handsome ageless face. "My dear, it's been too long."

"Indeed, it has," agreed Genevieve, without even thinking of withdrawing from the man. She saw the butler leave the room, and was quite sure that Anneliese would be staring at her and the Count, but she couldn't bring herself to care. Her joy of seeing her old friend again was just so big. "How long has it been?" she asked, looking merrily into the dark green of the Count's eyes. "Ten years?"

"Twelve years," answered the Count. "And seven since we stopped writing."

"Oh my, how the time flies!" remarked the Queen with a sigh.

"Time may pass by, and fashions may change, but you are still the same, my girl," the Count told her fondly.

"You've always had such a way with words, Ceddie," said Genevieve with a flattered smile. She pried Sir Cedric's arms gently from around her, and holding on to his hands tightly, she took a step farther. The smiles never leaving either of their faces, Genevieve turned and lead the Count to her daughter.

"I'm sure you remember my daughter, Anneliese," Genevieve introduced the Princess to the Count. "Although I don't think she remembers you. Do you, Anneliese?"

"Regrettably, I don't," replied Anneliese, her eyes still quite wide with surprise at her mother's familiar behaviour.

Sir Cedric released the Queen's hands to take one of Anneliese's. With a respectful bow, he placed a light kiss on the Princess's hand, before releasing it gently. "I am honoured to make your acquaintance, my Princess," said the Count in his silky voice. "Again," he added, smiling. "I've heard a great many things about you; how you saved this kingdom's fortune. And I feel I should apologize if my behaviour only moments ago startled you. Your mother and I have known each other for a long time, and our separation seems to have lasted an eternity."

"It's alright," said Anneliese eventually, distracted by the Count's dashing appearance and tactful, yet comprehensive, words. "It'll take my mother more than that to surprise me these days." And motioning towards the Queen's walking stick that lay near them on the floor, she added, "And mother, you forgot you third leg, dashing away towards your Prince Charming."

"Oh, I don't think I'll need it anymore," said Genevieve dismissively, clinging on to Sir Cedric's hand again. "You will stay for dinner, won't you?" she asked the Count hopefully. "You really must; we have so much to talk about!"

The Count watched her amusedly, and nodded. "I couldn't leave your precious company just yet," he agreed. "And I couldn't imagine why you would need a cane to support your ever so graceful carriage."

"It's a long story," replied the Queen. "I'll tell you all about it when we take a stroll in the gardens. We are finished here, aren't we, Anneliese, darling?"

"I think we are," answered the Princess.

"Good. Then we can go," Genevieve told the Count happily.

Sir Cedric bowed politely before the Princess again. "Your mother is keen on stealing me away," he said benignly. "It has been lovely meeting you, my Princess."

"Likewise, Count," replied Anneliese, and watched as Genevieve led Sir Cedric out of the room.

"Now, tell me," Genevieve's voice carried back to the Princess. "Where have you been all this time?"

Anneliese watched as the two of them left, and went to pick up her mother's walking stick. Genevieve had never told her about any Sir Cedric Wyndham, but deciding by the Queen's behaviour the man must have played an important role in her life. In the last months Genevieve had revealed so much about her past that Anneliese could hardly believe she had been kept in the dark for so long.

The Princess found a footman at the entrance of the hall, and handed him the Queen's walking stick. "Take this to my mother's sitting room," she told the servant. "And tell her lady's maid that the Queen wants to look extremely elegant at dinner tonight."


	88. The past entwines with the present

The dinner was a success. The cook had outdone herself, and the meal was as elegant an affair as suitable for a royal dinner. As tradition foresaw, neither Anneliese nor Erika was present at the dinner, because it was bad luck if a groom - or in this case, two grooms - saw the bride on the evening before the wedding. The two girls were probably having their dinner together in the Princess's sitting room; the two enjoyed each other's company immensely.

Genevieve introduced Count Roslynthal as "an old friend". Sir Cedric's manners really were impeccable when he met the now quite large royal family. Preminger as an "old friend" himself knew the Count well, and started up quite a lively conversation during dinner.

"I'm somewhat glad that Genevieve - and she was not a Majesty yet at the time - quite plainly turned me down these years ago," had said the Count somewhere during the conversation. "I should hate to see a King as my rival."

"We've had quite enough of jealous suitors already," had agreed Preminger, but by no means unkindly. "I should think after the past you two share it quite unlikely you would fall for the Queen."

"I must disagree, my King," had said Sir Cedric benignly. "It would be unlikely for someone not to fall for your Queen."

At that, Adella had open-mindedly declared that she had never met anyone who could gain so many compliments as Genevieve.

When the dinner party was over Genevieve accompanied her guest to the entrance hall.

"The carriage has been arranged to take you to wherever you're staying. Are you certain you don't want to stay? There's always room at the castle," said Genevieve.

"Thank you, but I'd rather not," replied the Count politely.

"But you will come to the wedding tomorrow, won't you?" asked Genevieve hopefully.

"Only if the bride wishes me to," said Sir Cedric in answer, but his eyes were fixed on something behind the Queen.

Genevieve turned to follow his gaze, and saw her daughter standing at the door. "Anneliese," she said in slight surprise. "You should not be here. It's bad luck if Julian sees you tonight."

"I wanted to see our guest off," explained Anneliese, coming forward. "And it would be lovely if you could come, Count," she replied Sir Cedric's last words.

"Then I shall," said the Count, and bowed. "Your Highness."

The Princess nodded in acknowledgement, and stood back.

"My dear," said Sir Cedric, turning towards the Queen. "Mankind has yet to devise a word that would describe my joy of meeting you again. Until tomorrow, my Queen." He bowed.

"Good night," said Genevieve in return, not able to conjure up a reply to the Count's big words. She watched as Sir Cedric departed, and heaved a happy sigh. When she turned around, she was met by a suspicious-looking Anneliese.

"Who was he?" asked the Princess plainly.

"How do you mean?"

"You've never told me about Count Roslynthal," said Anneliese. "But you seem such good friends. How could you have missed mentioning him to me?"

"Our story is a bit complicated," explained Genevieve, leading her daughter out of the entrance hall. "But since you've come to know so much about my past in the light of this summer's events, I might as well tell you." Anneliese regarded her curiously, which allowed Genevieve to continue. "To put it bluntly, I was Countess Roslynthal for a while."

Anneliese halted in her steps. "What?" was all she could muster up.

"Well how else do you think a peasant girl could have married a Prince?" asked Genevieve. "I needed the Count's title to be able to marry your father. It was his idea. Sir Cedric owed him a favour, and this was as good a chance as any to pay it."

"So you're telling me now that my father was not your first husband?" asked Anneliese incredulously.

"It was marriage of reason," Genevieve tried to calm her. "I was only his wife in the documents. The whole thing lasted only four months, and then we divorced, so I could lawfully marry your father."

"And you never thought of telling me about it?" questioned Anneliese, still unable to believe the story.

"Of course I did," replied Genevieve. "But there never seemed to be the right moment for that."

"I suppose I never really asked you either," said Anneliese, somewhat calmer now. After all, this was not the worst thing she had discovered about her mother lately. "But you were in love with him?"

"No-no!" laughed Genevieve. "I wasn't even supposed to see him. Your father feared I might fall in love with him, so he forbid me from meeting him. But I did eventually, after a month of marriage. And we developed a very fond friendship. But I never loved him as my husband."

"I see," said Anneliese. "I can understand why father was afraid. The Count is charming."

"We agree on that," replied Genevieve with a smile. The two women had reached the Princess's room.

"I'm beginning to realize how little I really know about you," said Anneliese, turning to face her mother. "And I don't really mind."

"No matter how much you ask, or how much I tell you," said Genevieve, "there will always be things you don't know about me."

And with a gentle kiss on the cheek from her, Anneliese watched her mother leave down the hall, a royal Queen and a mystery forever.

_The End_


End file.
